The Girl
by 3tinkgemini
Summary: Klaus, a shy sort of a loner kept to himself after a sudden transfer to Mystic Falls High. Caroline was Mystic Falls' Golden Girl. Who all the girls wanted to be and all the boys wanted, including Klaus. Though he would never work up the nerve to tell her nor did he think she cared. That is until they were paired for a school project and somehow, their lives fit together perfectly.
1. Chapter 1

Prompt: Can you write something with Nerd!Klaus/Popular!Caroline, I just love nerdy shy Klaus. Lol

This was originally made as a short one-shot or more in my drabbles series Songs of the Moment. BUT, do to popular demands for more of this I have decided to make it into a short mini-series all of its own! Chapter 1 is a repost from before but chapter 2 is all brand new!

 **The Girl. AH**

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Caroline huffed in exasperation as she rounded the corner that led to the Library and computer lab on the second floor of the high school. She was late to class no thanks to Tyler and the ever present argument that they seemed to be having all the time lately. She shifted her backpack on her shoulder and pulled her cheerleading shirt back into place from where it always got caught up with the bottom of her bag before pulling the door open and walking into the library with what she hoped to be a bright enough smile to hide the chaos and pressure she felt.

Caroline groaned silently as she glanced around the room noticing everyone was already paired up and working on the newest assignment. Bonnie tossed her a half grin with her green eyes widening slightly as if to ask, where the hell were you?

Caroline could clearly see the irritation on Bonnie's face. They had spoken before class, and before Tyler had pulled her away claiming he had something important to talk to her about, both girls promised to pair up together for the assignment. But since Caroline was late, due to Tyler, the teacher had forced them to work with someone else.

Though, at least Bonnie was paired up with Stefan. He worked hard and would carry his own weight. Who knew who she would be left with.

"Miss Forbes, so good of you to finally show up."

"I'm sorry Mr. Saltzman I was…"

The teacher waved his hand to cut her off, "I, like the rest of the class, have no need for your excuse. Just go find your partner and get to work."

With as much dignity as she could manage Caroline smiled as she took the paper Mr. Saltzman held out for her. Her blue eyes quickly scanned the assigned subject and the name of her partner written across the top, _Greek Gods. Niklaus Mikaelson._

Caroline hadn't had much interaction with him since he moved to Mystic Falls a few months back halfway through their senior year. Unless you count the one time she spoke to him, welcoming him to the town and school. She had stood there yammering on about all the best places to hang out, who and where to avoid. After about five embarrassing minutes of her talking and him staring at her like she had something on her face, the bell had thankfully rang sending her back to her seat. She had tried every now and again to wave and say hi to him before finally giving up. There was only so much ignoring a person could take.

In the beginning she had tried not to take it too personal. He seemed shy, always had his head pressed between the pages of a sketchbook that he kept well-guarded and he didn't seem to be making any other friends in the few months he'd been here.

Then there was the fact that he moved in with Dahlia. The town's eccentric resident who was a bit too much of a hippy, as the older town's folk called her, for their taste. Caroline could never see what the big deal about her was. She actually envied her. Dahlia did what she wanted, when she wanted and didn't care what other's thought of her. And with everything going on in her life right now Caroline yearned for that kind of freedom.

Rumor around town was that she had a wealthy sister who lived overseas in England that she never spoke to. The rumor seemed to be true when word had spread that she suddenly had a teenage nephew moving in with her. Caroline couldn't help but wonder if the yellowing black eye Niklaus had had that first day of school had anything to do with why he moved here and why his Aunt never spoke to or about her family.

Klaus licked his lips nervously, his fingers fiddling with his pencil as the door to the Library swung open revealing Caroline. Caroline in her tiny snug cheerleader's uniform. Caroline with her bouncy golden curls pulled up in a high ponytail showing off her radiant face.

Caroline Forbes. The most popular girl in the school. The girl other girls wanted to be and the girl all the boys want to have.

And she was to be his partner for this assignment.

His hand rose of its own accord to push his thick black framed glasses further up his nose. He wondered how this would go with them being partners for this assignment. Caroline was smart, beautiful, kind, the type of girl poets wrote sonnets about and she was…so out of his league. Klaus sighed quietly to himself running a slightly shaking hand through his thick mop of curls on top of his head.

He could still remember in vivid details the first moment he saw her. It was months ago on his first day as a senior, he had just shut the passenger door to his Aunt's car and begun the trek across the grassy lot in front of the school when he heard the most beautiful laugh he had ever heard. She had been standing with a group of her friends, her long blonde curls shining in the sunlight as she threw her head back in riotous laughter. In short, she was magnificent. He never dreamed that she would actually talk to him so when she had bounced up to his desk casting a ray of her own bright personal sunlight onto him he was left in awe.

He remembered screaming at himself to; _say something! Anything at_ _all!_ But in the end he had just stared at her like the buffoon she no doubt thought him to be.

And now here he was; trapped in his own personal Heaven that just so happened to be his personal Hell as well. He watched her as she scanned the room, her brows furrowed and her lips pressed tightly until she found him. She gave a small grin that he attempted to return, sure that it had been more of a grimace than a smile, before making her way over to where he sat.

The closer she came the more his palms began to sweat, why on earth did he have to choose a table all the way in the back? One so far off from the rest of the class that they would be trapped, alone, on their own little island with nothing but the bookshelves to keep them company.

If he was more like the other boys their age he would greet her properly. If he could just gather the courage to act out one of the thousand scenarios he had played out in his mind when he was home wishing nothing more than to speak to her, it would go something like this;

 _She made her way to the table in the back of the room, dodging around all the other students in their chairs. A light smile would grace her face as she set her book bag on the tabletop._

 _He would glance up at her from beneath his thick lashes, a cocky smirk painted on his lips, his voice dropping low as he'd say, "Hello Love."_

 _Her breath would catch; a slight shiver would ghost over her skin at his husky murmur causing his eyes to sparkle with mischief. Then she'd greet him in return in that sweet symphony that was her voice._

 _She'd sit down in the chair beside him, allowing him to slide his arm across the back of her chair. He'd brush the strand of hair that always escaped from her ponytail behind her ear, looking her straight in her lovely eyes, "You look lovely today Caroline."_

 _She'd blush and giggle, biting that lower lip of hers like she always does, setting him on fire and then…_

A thud hitting the table knocked him out of his thoughts and drew his attention to Caroline as she huffed and sat down in the chair across the table from him. Her obvious annoyance clearly written on her face brought a cursed blush to his cheeks.

He watched her as she shuffled her things about, pulling out her notebook and pen as she switched between grumbling under her breath and pressing her lips into a thin line.

Klaus took a deep breath, trying to dig deep down into himself to find any scrap of courage and strength he had to force his mouth to work. Clearing his throat and gulping down he managed a paltry, "Hey."

Caroline's head popped up from her notebook, her narrowed blue eyes she aimed at him nearly making him shrink into his chair. She folder her arms across her chest with a huff, "Oh look! He speaks!"

Klaus's eyes widened at the pure venom that laced her tone.

Caroline placed her folded arms on top of the table leaning closer to him as she hissed, "Can I ask you something?"

He gave her a hesitant nod of his head, flinching slightly when she scoffed.

"Are all boys' self-involved jerks?" Caroline gave him no room to respond as she tossed her hands up into the air, "I mean seriously! I say hi, I start rambling on about the assignment and how excited I am since I love Greek mythology and you just sit there!" Her hands gestured wildly about, "Staring off into space with some weird smirk on your face! Do you find it amusing? Me rambling on like some idiot?"

Klaus sputtered, trying to assure her he meant no offence, but she still gave him no quarter.

"Is this like some hoity-toity British thing?" She began butchering his accent to the point where, if she wasn't so angry and spitting fire out of her mouth at him, he would find it utterly adorable, "Oh let's allow the little American chippie to ramble on and on looking like a bloody chump." She scoffed, "Not like I'm surprised. You're just another tool to the book of boys in my life. I tried to be nice to you before. I figured, hey. He just moved here from another country Why not make him feel welcome and offer him a friend. But _no,_ you have to be all…"

Caroline was shocked out of her rant by his low growl.

Klaus's eyes hardened, "I have no need for your pity Caroline."

The harsh tone of his voice as he spat his words at her drew her up short and shocked her for a second. "What?"

Klaus pushed his glasses up his nose harshly, not caring that the nose piece pinched the bridge of his nose before he spoke slower, "I have no need for your pity." He scoffed, "What? Did you think I could be your newest charity case?"

Now it was Caroline's turn to attempt to sputter out a response only to be cut off by him.

"Oh let's befriend the poor foreign boy with the black eye and the broken ribs. He's such a loner maybe I can fix him." Klaus sneered, "Let me tell you something Sweetheart, I have no desire to be fixed. So if we could just get through this assignment we can both be on our way. Me alone as ever and you with your bright smiles and sunshine life can go elsewhere."

Klaus felt his heart pound in his chest as his hazy angry vision cleared and he finally truly looked at Caroline. There she sat across from him, her face drawn and pale, her mouth hanging open and her wide tearful eyes staring at him as if he had grown two heads. He didn't even want to imagine what she must be thinking of him at this moment.

He had no idea where all that had come from. Never before had he ever had the audacity to snap at someone like that. And that he had done so to _her_ made him want to lose his lunch.

He slid his sweaty palm across the table, but with all his fire and courage failing him, he could barely bring himself to feather the tips of his fingers on the skin of her hand. The hand that he had longed for months to touch. The skin he had spent hours wondering whether it would be as soft as he imagined it to be.

"I…I'm sorry Caroline. That…That was rude of me." He flinched when she snorted. Looking down to the table he began to slide his hand away only to stop when she gently placed her hand on top of his. Her soft voice caressed him, soothing him in a way he never thought possible. He focused on her words as a part of his mind rejoiced in the fact that she was touching him, that her skin was just as soft as he had imagined.

"Hey I'm sorry. I guess I never thought about it that way. And I tend to have a problem with saying things without thinking." Caroline's eyes darkened slightly as she thought over the words he had said to her. "But I never thought you needed to be _fixed_." The way she spat the word told him there was more to her derision then just his own heated words, "How about we just start over?"

She slowly pulled her hand off of his, leaving him strangely cold until she aimed that sunny smile of hers directly at him with her head cutely cocked to one side while holding her hand out for him to take.

"Hi! I'm Caroline. Welcome to Mystic Falls."

When he sat there, his wide grey eyes flicking between her face and her hand from under his thick black glasses Caroline giggled. He was so cute when he looked like a startled puppy. The thought brought a slight heat to her cheeks which she covered with a hiss with a giggle through the side of her smile, "This is where you take my hand and introduce yourself."

Her humorous tone and sparkling blue depths brought forth a confidence he was just now beginning to discover.

Klaus had no idea where this new bout of self-assuredness came from, though he thought that maybe it was just his natural instincts kicking in from the etiquette classes he was forced to take at a young age.

But somehow he knew it was all because of her.

He covertly wiped his sweaty palm over his jean covered thigh before placing it in Caroline's waiting hand.

When she moved to shake his hand he rendered her speechless as he turned her hand in his, gently holding her fingers in his palm before bowing slightly over it and placed a soft kiss to her knuckles. She stared at him in speechless wonder as his eyes flicked up at her from over the tops of his glasses, his hot breath coasted over her skin and the combination sending tingles through her that she had never felt before.

"Charmed." His head rose from her hand, "You may call me Klaus."

Their eyes stayed locked, searching the others, his hand still held hers gently over the table as their lips parted on matching gasps. And then the moment was broken by two other students laughing as they passed by.

"Watch it Caroline, Art Boy here looks like he might eat you alive."

"That or she'll give him a stroke just from touching him!"

Klaus's face flushed a deep scarlet and he quickly removed his hand from hers and forced his eyes down at the paper on the table. After the way she had just gazed at him he had no desire to watch as she came to her senses and see the look of disgust flit across her lovely features.

"Hey." Caroline's soft voice whispered between them and he cursed himself for being so drawn to it that he raised his eyes.

Caroline smiled softly as he hesitantly looked at her, "Remember how I said boys are all self-involved jerks?" she grinned deeper as the hesitation left his grey eyes with a hint of relief.

Klaus could feel the blush lessening on his cheeks as he grinned back, "Not all of us are Love."

"Yeah, I'm beginning to see that." She blushed prettily at his pet name.

Klaus gulped down, his insides shaking under her obvious praise. Clearing his throat he swiped his tongue over his lips, "Yes well, maybe we should," He inwardly cursed his stuttering speech, "Get to the assignment."

"In a second. I'm curious, why Klaus?"

"Why what?" Klaus nervously asked feeling panic rise in his gut that she had discovered his secret crush on her.

"I mean your name is Niklaus so why go by Klaus? Why not your full name or Nik instead?" Caroline bit her lower lip at his visible flinch when she spoke his given name and the shorter Nik version. "Sorry," She eyes him sheepishly, "See? There I go again saying things without thinking."

"My given name, as well as the shorter version, carry with them a ton of baggage I'd rather not recall." He replied gruffly.

Caroline could easily read that there was more to the story, and just how much he hated speaking of it. The words, _black eye and broken ribs_ , floated through her mind. Shrugging her shoulders she brushed it off as she knew he wanted her to, "Hey it's no big deal. I mean we all have a ton of baggage we'd rather not have anyone else know right." Her eyes darkened a touch as she thought of all the things weighing heavily on her own shoulders at the moment.

Klaus furrowed his brow, wondering what the perfectly angelic creature before him could ever have going on in her life to cause such a dark and tired look.

"Besides, I like Klaus. It's unique and different." Caroline grinned as she watched his cheeks fill with a blush, she really got a kick out of just how much she could do that to him.

Klaus scoffed, "Yes and different is just so well received here."

"Please! If you came out of your sketchbook every once and a while, smiled with those adorable dimples you have and add in the British accent you'd have girls falling all over you." Caroline's eyes widened as she realized what she had just said, and judging by the full redness covering his face and his open mouth he was just as stunned. Thinking quickly to cover her own embarrassment she shot her hand forward to the sketchbook laying on the table, "What do you draw in here all the time anyways?"

Klaus wasn't sure if his heart was pounding so roughly in his chest over the things that she had just said about him or the fact that she had her hands wrapped around his sketchbook ready to crack it open.

He quickly stood half out of his chair, snatching the book from her delicate hands before sitting back down and hastily stuffing it in his bag. "Sorry. It's…it's private. I don't like showing my work. I've rarely even showed my closest friends back home."

Caroline easily picked up on the fact that he didn't even mention his family; pieces of the puzzle he was began to fall into place even as more holes opened up.

"I get it. It's kind of like a diary. All your personal thoughts go in it as pictures instead of words right?" At his nod she rolled her eyes, "I totally caught Elena flipping through my diary one time, it's not like she found anything I wouldn't want her to see but still! It's like super private. Maybe one day you'll let me see? I mean I'm assuming you are really good since I know the art teacher here has been begging you to enter something for the town's raffle we have at the end of every school year."

"You know about that?" His eyes widened and pleasure filled him that she knew anything about him at all.

Caroline rolled her eyes, "Well duh! I'm on like every event planning committee. Besides, I happen to be Miss Mystic Falls."

Klaus chuckled as she sat up in her chair straighter with an air of pride, "I know."

Caroline blushed beautifully at the intense look he gave her before he bashfully lowered his head, his fingers itching to pull his sketchbook back out and draw this moment before it was gone.

Caroline cleared her throat, knowing they had to get back on track and make some decisions before class ended. "So what would you think about instead of us doing what everyone else is going to do, we try something different for our project?"

Klaus felt himself tremble at the look in her eyes, he had a feeling he wouldn't like what she was about to suggest. "What do you have in mind?"

"Well, we have a few weeks to get this done and with everything I already know about the Greek Gods, it won't take long to pull all the information together for the report side of things. And maybe instead of just printing pictures off the internet you might think about drawing them?" She gasped excitedly, "We could present it like an art showing at a gallery! You being the artist and me being the curator!" She couldn't help but giggle as his mouth floundered open and closed as he shifted uncomfortably in his chair.

She pressed her lips together at the blatant relief in his eyes as the bell saved him from answering. "Hey, no pressure. Just think about it and we'll talk about it tomorrow in class. Oh! Wait!"

Her sudden outburst caught him by surprise as she began digging in her bag and pulled out her phone. Caroline seemed to be full of more surprises than he originally thought. She reminded him of some type of bird, a hummingbird maybe, always flitting about from one thing to another, captivating those around her with her light and carefree attitude.

After she clicked a few icons on the screen of her phone she handed it over to him. "Just put your number in and I'll text you back so you have mine. That way we can talk about the project outside of school too."

Klaus tried to steady his shaking fingers as he entered in the number to the cell phone his Aunt had gifted him with when he moved here. The shock of having the girl that held his affections phone number still not registering in his mind. His fingers brushed her hand as he handed it back to her sending shivers up his arm that he quickly pulled back, worried that he would no doubt find a way to embarrass himself again.

He watched as Caroline nibbled on her lower lip, biting back a grin as she clicked out a message then turned her phone back off. She hopped out of her chair after placing it back in her bag, sending her golden ponytail swaying around her neck, "There all done. Text me back after school and we'll set up a time and place to meet." A look of contemplative grew over her face, "Though it might be best of we just do our work at my house."

Klaus jolted in surprise as he stuttered, "Your place?"

"Well yeah. We're going to need a good internet connection and the local library will be filled with way too many people for that. Plus I like to focus and seeing that all my other friends will be wandering around not working and then begging me to help them like they always do I would rather be somewhere more private so we can actually get our own project done." She rolled her eyes with a frustrated laugh, "Really, you have no idea how many times that's happened to me. Sometimes being at the top of the class can be a real pain in the…well, you know." She sighed dramatically.

Klaus felt his heart pounding once again in his chest. His mind focusing on the fact that he would be in Caroline's home, with her. Alone. It took him a moment to catch onto something else she had said, "You said your _other_ friends. Are we," He gulped down, expecting her rejection, "Friends then?" He shakily asked.

Caroline rolled her eyes teasingly and smiled, "Will you show me your art work?"

Klaus opened his mouth before closing it slowly with a look that spoke of how unsure he felt.

Caroline pressed her lips fighting back a smile. He really was just so cute when he was nervous. "One day I'll talk you into it Klaus." She said in a singsong voice as she slung her bag over her shoulder and spun on her heels taking one step away from him before grinning over her shoulder, "See you later _friend_."

Klaus smiled widely as she bounced away from him, a bashful chuckling huffing from him as he watched her walk away. His smile quickly fell as reality smacked him in the face.

Tyler Lockwood stood outside the Library doors waiting for her.

Klaus scoffed at his own stupidity. Tyler Lockwood. Star of the football team. Most popular boy in school. Loved by all. And worst of all, he was Caroline's perfect little boyfriend.

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	2. Chapter 2

**April420** , this one is for you. Thank you so much for always stopping in with a message to see how I am doing and for being such a huge support! And for constantly asking for more of this story. I have a lot planned for these two crazy kids! I hope you, and everyone else reading enjoys this chapter and what I have planned next.

I do not own TVD. Things would be different if I did.

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Klaus sat on the sofa in the living room, elbows pressed into his knees as he stared down at his phone in contemplation. Caroline had told him to text her after school but what he should say had him at an impasse. He had been sitting on the sofa for almost a half hour now typing and retyping a text to her. Groaning he dropped his phone to the seat beside him and leaned back running his fingers through his hair thinking that if he couldn't type out a simple message to her how in the world was he supposed to actually _talk_ to her over the course of the next few weeks?

"What's got you all down in the dumps sweet pea?"

Klaus, startled by his Aunt's arrival, sat up quickly hoping in vain to get his phone before she reached down and grabbed it.

"Oh! You're talking to a girl?" Dahlia exclaimed excitedly before frowning, "Oh honey, that's no way to woo a lady. _I am inquiring as to the time you would prefer to work on our project._ " She read his text aloud with a hint of despair, tsking and shaking her head causing her long earrings to jingle, "What are you fifty and proposing a business transaction?"

Klaus opened his mouth to respond but like always, his Aunt wasn't done.

Dahlia's eyes lit up as she gasped, "Caroline? This wouldn't happen to be Caroline Forbes would it?"

Klaus squirmed a bit in his seat, everyone in town knew of the sunshine blonde and her long term relationship with the star quarterback, "Yes. We ah, have a project for class we are working on together."

"Hmm." She looked him over with speculative eyes, "It seems to me it's a bit more than just this _project_ that's had you huffing and puffing over the past half an hour over a simple text message. You like the girl don't you?"

"Well I don't see how that matters she has a boyfriend." Klaus deflected.

"That's exactly why it matters Klaus!" She exclaimed dramatically by throwing her arms in the air as she fell into the seat beside him.

"What do you mean?"

"That poor girl needs a little excitement and happiness in her life."

It didn't matter that Klaus could tell his Aunt was baiting him, she had lived in this town for years and knew more about the towns residences than they probably knew about themselves. Klaus licked his lips as he shifted to face her, ignoring the smirk on her face when she seen she had him hook, line and sinker, "She seems fairly happy to me, she runs nearly every club and is involved in almost every school and town event. She's always smiling and laughing that musical laughter of hers so what makes you think that?"

"For someone who say he doesn't care for the girl, you know an awfully lot about her social calendar." She snickered before sighing with a shake of her head, "Caroline is such a sweet girl. You know that she goes out of her way to make me feel comfortable at the town events? Not that I care what all the stick in the mud folks think of me but it's the principle of the thing. She has such a loving and genuinely caring heart that people tend to not see past the pretty cover." She grinned at her nephew's looking of deep contemplation, as well as his distraction, as she slyly typed a few quick words on his phone, "There. All done." She chirped.

Klaus looked to his Aunt, "What's done?" Then his eyes widened in dread when he heard the telltale swoosh coming from his phone indicating that a text had been sent. He scrambled forward, yanking his phone from her hand to find that she had sent a text off to Caroline.

 _Klaus: How's 5 o'clock tonight sound? Where do you want to meet?_

Before he could fully let out his groan of despair his phone chimed in his hand. Gulping down and pushing his glasses up his nose he anxiously opened her responding text.

 _Caroline: 5 sounds perfect! ;) How's my place work for you?_

"Well don't just sit there. Answer her back you ninny!" His Aunt's voice exclaimed loudly next to his ear as she gave his arm a shake. He had been so caught up in the shock that she ever replied that he failed to notice Dahlia had moved next to him.

 _Klaus: Sounds perfect._

He typed and was left in awe as she once again messaged him back even though it was unnecessary.

 _Caroline: Great! See you then! xD_

His Aunt's peal of excited laughter pulled him from his daze. He shot her a displeased glance when he noticed the time, "Five o'clock? Really? That is less than a half hour from now."

Dahlia stood from the sofa, straightening her long flowing skirt with a prim nod, "Exactly the point my boy. Now you have no way of worming your way out of it."

Klaus scoffed, "I wasn't going to." The look she shot him right before leaving the room brought a slight blush to his cheeks. Alright fine, maybe he would have chickened out. But this was _Caroline_ , the girl whom he had harbored a crush on since first seeing her gorgeous face.

Sighing, Klaus stood and gathered his things. He hoped he would be able to dissuade her from this foolish art project she wanted to turn their report into. Though he had bared witness to the force that was Caroline Forbes on a mission and the results always swayed in her favor. Combined that with her aiming that stunning smile of hers at him and he would be lost for good.

"Since time is not in my favor, can I take the car?" Klaus asked with a charming grin as he stuck his head into the kitchen.

Waving the spatula in her hand at him, "Absolutely not. Not after the last time I allowed you to drive me. You are still on probation with me." She huffed, "We are no longer in England Klaus, we drive on the _right_ side of the road here in America."

"But, it's because of you that I am in this mess of a time crunch." He tried to argue.

"Yes, and as we agreed upon you have six more hours of driving time with me before I allow you to take the car out alone."

Groaning Klaus spun on his heels and walked out of the door with his backpack slung over one shoulder. As he walked away from the house and down the block, his cheeks still burned from the quip his Aunt tossed his way before the door had shut.

" _Remember if things get hot and heavy; no glove, no love! And do try and remember not to be selfish! The gift of multiple orgasms is the gift that never stops giving!"_

With his Aunt living just on the outskirts of town, Klaus took the shortcut through the woods he had discovered not long after moving here. The woods offered him a place to get away from all the changes happening in his life as well as granting him a reprieve from the near constant nagging thoughts of just what put him here to start with.

Not wanting to sour his mood when he already had enough to worry about he shifted his pack higher on his shoulder as he started walking down the path that let out at the back of Caroline's neighborhood. His thoughts traveled to how in the world he would be able to carry on a conversation with her. He would be in her home, surrounded by her things and her scent. Her sole focus would be on him, and their project of course, how was he going to cope without mucking this up?

Klaus sighed deeply, unconsciously pushing his glasses up his nose, as he stepped out onto the street. His only real interaction with her, the one and only time that he hadn't just stared at her without speaking, had been filled with the distraction of the other students. Now it would be just the two of them, alone in her home.

What if her mother was home? What if her mother came home and saw him there only to assume the worst? He knew her mother was the town's sheriff, he gulped at the thought, and she no doubt carried her gun on her at all times. If he was sitting too close to Caroline in her bedroom would she shoot first and ask questions later?

Klaus felt his breath pick up speed as his steps faltered, would he be sitting inside Caroline's bedroom? Where she sleeps? Where she changed her clothes? Where she…

Damn his Aunt for placing such thoughts in his head, he cursed internally. As if he didn't have enough anxiety over this, she had to go and set his mind down _that_ path. Not that he didn't think of Caroline in that manner but now was definitely _not_ the time to be doing so.

Klaus rounded the corner of the street, Caroline's house came into view and he seen Caroline hop out of her car in the driveway. Her golden hair was still caught up in her high ponytail, her body was still in her barely-there cheerleading uniform and as he walked into the grass of her front yard he could see the sheen of sweat glistening over her glorious skin.

 _Not the time you fool!_

"Hey Klaus!" Caroline yelled happily with a wave of her hand over her head.

Klaus closed the distance between them, stopping just a few feet shy of her at the bottom of her porch. Covertly sucking in a deep steadying breath, he felt quite proud of himself when he didn't stutter, "Hello Caroline." The blush that formed on her cheeks gave him the fuel he needed to surge forward, "I hope I am not too early?"

Caroline blinked rapidly a few times, as if she wasn't used to such questions or caring. A light smile growing over her lips as she replied, "No, you're actually right on time. It's me that's running a little behind."

Klaus followed her up the front steps to her door, trying in vain to not watch the way her short skirt moved against the tops of her thighs. As she unlocked the door she launched into a frustrated ramble.

"Ugh! I would have been here sooner but _of course_ Tracy couldn't get her round-off right. I mean seriously! That's like grade school cheerleading moves!" Caroline opened the door, glancing at him with a wince, "Sorry, I'm sure you don't want to hear about all that."

Klaus could only hope that the trembling he felt inside due to the fact his was taking his first step into Caroline's home didn't show on the outside. He swiped his lips with his tongue, cursing himself for the husky tone of his voice that brought a fast flush to his cheeks, "I don't mind hearing it if you are the one speaking Caroline."

 _How many times to you have to embarrass yourself in front of the girl Klaus?!_

His mouth floundered open, wishing to any God listening, that he could take his words back as she stared at him like he had grown a second head. And then to his utter surprise she placed a hand to his forearm with a gentle squeeze and a soft smile, "Let me go get cleaned up really quick and then we can start working."

 _Did she just? Did that just?_ Klaus scoffed mentally at himself as he watched her walk down the hall. _Can you not even form complete sentences in your own damned mind when it comes to her?_

Caroline paused in a doorway halfway down the hall, looking back at him with a grin as he stood there berating himself, "The living room is just through that way," She pointed towards his left, "Go ahead and get set up in there. Oh, and if you need to, I left my computer in there to charge last night, feel free to use it. I'll be out in a few."

With that she disappeared, leaving Klaus standing there like a fish out of water. And that's when it hit him.

Caroline was in her bedroom to get cleaned up.

He was standing here in her home while her clothing was no doubt hitting the floor right at this moment.

His breaths came out in harsh pants at the thoughts, his heart began pounding within his chest before he attempted to shake himself clear of such a dangerous path of a nearly naked Caroline in the next room.

 _Not helping you imbecile! Get it together before she comes out here and sees you standing in her foyer with the embarrassing evidence of your thoughts clear at the front of your trousers._

Shifting his pack Klaus quickly disappear within the living room hoping to calm himself down before she walked in. As a means to distract himself, he began shuffling his notebooks out of his bag and onto the sofa table. Cursing silently when he realized he didn't look up the information he had wanted to gather before meeting with her.

With a mind-numbing task at hand his wayward thoughts swiftly left him, to which he was ever grateful for, as he located Caroline's laptop and sat on the floor with it perch on the table.

Settling in on the floor, he opened the laptop and was amazed at how quickly to started up. His took at least five minutes before booting up and being ready for him to work with. Moving the curser toward the internet icon he paused when he seen she had left a word program window open. Shrugging his shoulders, he figured it was about their assignment and clicked it open to see what she had typed out in the form of notes.

Only upon reading a few sentences did he realize his blunder. Having only received their assignment topic that afternoon at school, even Caroline Forbes who always seemed to be ready for anything, would have had no way of knowing just what their topic could have been.

Worrying his lip with his teeth, Klaus leaned back to look towards the hallway. Seeing no signs of Caroline heading his way anytime soon he inched closer to the computer screen and with a lick of his lips he indulged himself in reading what she had written.

He was so absorbed by her talent and her story that he failed to hear her enter the room until it was too late and she was standing right next to him.

"Hey, sorry that took so long. What are you read?" Caroline asked him assuming he had searched for something online, that is until her hand quickly closed the computer with a gasp, "Oh my God!"

Klaus quickly stood from the floor, instantly worried that he had crossed a line and highly ashamed at doing so. Seeing her flushed cheeks, he rushed to explain, "I'm sorry Caroline. I shouldn't have invaded your privacy like that. I honestly thought it was notes for our assignment."

Caroline huffed as she crossed her arms, "How would I have notes when we only got our topics today? I mean even _I'm_ not that good. Especially with Mr. Saltzman."

"I know. I know." He held his hands out in front of him, "That is what I thought after reading the first few lines."

"Well then why didn't you stop!" Caroline shouted as she stomped her foot to the floor.

Klaus had the decency to look towards the floor bashfully, his inner self screaming at him, _Now is your chance you fool! Praise her! Tell her the truth! DO SOMETHING besides staring at your own blasted feet!_

Glancing up at her from over the tops of his thick black framed glasses, his voice was soft as he explained, "Honestly? I couldn't help myself. Within the first few sentences I found myself completely and utterly enthralled in your storytelling. Even if it wasn't a fanfiction about one of my favorite television shows, I would have enjoyed it regardless. You have a true talent Sweetheart. Any reader would be left enchanted by your way with words."

The anger and embarrassment seemed to seep from her as her shoulders sagged and she muttered under her breath, "It seems you have a way with words yourself Mikaelson." Her blue eyes widened slightly, flicking down to the computer and back at him with a hint of horror as her voice squeaked as she asked him, "What story was that? Do you, um, remember the title?"

Unsure of why she was having such a reaction Klaus looked up towards the ceiling as if it would help him recall the stories title before he shook his head, "I'm sorry Caroline. I don't recall reading the name of the story."

He watched curiously as her throat bobbed as she swallowed and she walked on stilted legs to the laptop, nibbling her lower lip as she opened it before sagging in clear relief at what she found on the page.

Sighing she turned quickly on the ball of her foot pointing a waving finger in his face, "Don't ever do that again got it?"

Klaus pressed his lips together giving her a jerky nod.

Clapping her hands and relaxing her imposing stance she asked, "Good. I'm going to get us something to drink. I have water, Diet Dr. Pepper or regular Dr. Pepper. Sorry it's not much of a choice, I don't have time to grocery shop until Sunday morning."

"Dr. Pepper will be fine. Thank you." Klaus replied curious as to why she was doing the shopping and not her Mother.

Caroline stopped in the doorway, turning to look at him with a bashful grimace as she rubbed her arms, "Klaus?"

"Yeah?"

"I've never really told anyone that I like to write, so could you maybe not say anything to anyone?"

Her clear worry and hesitance warmed him in a strange way, until he realized that he had never seen Caroline look so out of her element and unsure of herself before. And her she was trusting him with her secret. "Never fear Sweetheart, your secret is safe with me."

Her beaming smile knocked the breath right out of his lungs. It was that smile he had dreamed of her aiming his way for so long. "Thanks Klaus. Really. And thanks for the compliments." She hooked her hair behind her ear timidly, "It's really nice to hear from the readers in their reviews that they like it but, I don't know, having you read it and hearing the things you said just made it more real somehow." She blushed prettily under his awed gaze, stumbling backwards into a small side table and quickly righting it with an even deeper blush to her stunning face, "So yeah, anyways, thanks."

Yet again she left him standing in utter disbelief in her home. His mind racing over all that had just happened thinking, _I can't believe you did it! How the bloody hell did you do that?!_

Klaus had no idea how in the world he was able to cause such a reaction from her but, her having a boyfriend or not, he could only hope to do so again. What a boost to his nearly nonexistent ego! Though he was sure, as he rolled his eyes at himself, he would find some way to mess it all up at some point.

As he heard the click of glasses and ice he recalled her distress from before she knew which of her stories he had read. It had only lessened after she had seen just for herself, making him wonder what else she could be writing that made her so flustered. Klaus decidedly shut those thoughts down.

He would probably never admit it aloud, even Caroline, but there had been a few times he had searched out fanfiction for himself during the nights he couldn't fall asleep. With most of his things still back in England due to his rushed departure, all of his books were left regrettably behind. He knew that the vast world of fanfiction stories held a plethora of genres to choose from. Some were the fluffy type, others and honestly the ones he enjoyed the most, held more action and plot twists.

But there were the _other_ types of stories. Stories that could bring heat to any warm-blooded male or female even at the most inopportune moments. Klaus felt the stirrings of something deep within his core at the thoughts of Caroline writing _those_ sorts of…He quickly shut down that line of thought as he heard her footsteps head back his way, he didn't need to get flustered, yet again, when this time he would be sure to be caught and embarrass himself to the point he would never be able to look at her face again.

Just to be on the safe side Klaus rushed to sit on the floor, shuffling his notebook open to look as if he hadn't just been standing there thinking of her writing such _stimulating_ tales.

Caroline set his glass next to him on the low table, walking around it to sit on the sofa, "You can sit up here if you want. I won't bite." She chuckled as she busied herself with her own notebooks.

Klaus bit back a groan, shifting his body on the floor at the images her words invoked, "I…I'm fine." His untimely stutter made him sink further into himself.

Caroline glanced at him questioningly, it was obvious from the look on her face she was worried that she had upset him somehow.

Rushing to assure her he said the first thing that came to his mind, "Really I'm fine. I just want to get working so I can make it back to heat up the leftovers from dinner. I had a pretty light lunch today." _Food?! You went with food of all things?!_ Klaus cursed himself, and here he was wondering when he would mess things up again. _Bloody good job Klaus! You last a whole of what, five minutes?_

Caroline's smile was a little off as she replied, "Oh. Um, okay."

She tapped her pen against her notebook as they worked silently for the next ten minutes. Caroline trying to understand what went wrong while Klaus kicked himself for being ten times a moron.

Klaus tried to ignore the way her eyes continuously glanced at him, how her mouth would open as if she wanted to say something but then she would only sigh before going back to her work.

After a few more times of it happening, right as he was ready to beg her forgiveness for acting like such an idiot she began to speak, causing him to hold his breath expecting her to ask him to leave, that she had more important things to do than spend time with someone like him.

"So, I know it's not a homecooked meal or anything but I was wondering if you might want to stay and keep working while I order us a pizza?" Caroline looked at him with her lower lip caught between her teeth.

"Won't your Moher be home for dinner? Would she mind my being here?"

"She'd have to actually come home to mind it." Klaus furrowed his brows at the melancholy glint in her eyes as she scoffed trying to hide how much it bothered her. "But anyways, it's up to you. You don't have to."

"Actually, I'd be honored to stay for pizza Caroline." Klaus smiled softly at her.

She looked comically stunned for a moment, bringing a quiet chuckle from him, before smiling that sunshine smile of hers, "Great! I'll go order it now! Pepperoni and extra cheese okay?" She asked as she bounced off the sofa making Klaus gulp at the way her body swayed with the motion.

"Yeah." He managed to get past his suddenly dry throat.

Caroline stopped with her hand on the wall of the doorway, "You're different Klaus. Not like bad different, just different from anyone I've ever met. I'm glad you finally decided I was worth talking to." She giggled with a wink before flouncing out of the room.

Watching her leave, Klaus had decided exactly what it was like to be alone in Caroline's presence in her home.

It was his very own personal, marvelously delicious hell.

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More to come soon! I hope you all enjoyed this.


	3. Chapter 3

Hello all! Hope you are all doing well! I am working on being more organized I promise! I have been severely slacking on my responses to your reviews and having a concrete updating process. I promise I am working on it!

 **IMPORTANT: This website is having issues with update notifications and other authors have had their newest updates disappearing! Horrible I know! If for some reason anything like that happens for this story please send me a private message, here or on tumblr, to let me know and I will see what I can do to fix it. Let's all hope that they take care of these issues soon!**

Anywho! Thanks to Ashleigh and Eve! I love that we set writing/updating goals together. These girls really helped me to get this done today before bed.

I do not own TVD/TO. Any mistakes are my own.

Happy reading!

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"What's all this?" Liz asked with narrowed eyes as her thick heeled boots clomped on the linoleum floor of the kitchen.

Caroline's similar shaded eyes narrowed with distain at the black scuff marks the offending boots left behind on the floor she had just finished scrubbing an hour prior.

"Caroline? I asked you a question." Liz eyed the bowls filled with various snacks sitting on the kitchen island with suspicion. "You're not throwing a party here." She stated firmly. "I know all about the bonfire tonight and you are absolutely not having an afterparty here."

"I'm not Mom, I promise." She offered with a huff as she thought about how Tyler had tried to talk her into it last summer when his parents had canceled their out of town trip thus throwing a wrench in his party plans. She had to ward off way too many glares to count when her Mom would show up and break up various summer parties. People always assumed it was her doing since her Mom was the Sherriff. There was no way in hell she would throw a party at her own house with all the risks involved. "These are for Klaus and me to snack on while we work on our assignment."

Liz crossed her arms over her chest, "And just who is Klaus? I thought you were dating Tyler?"

Caroline pressed her lips, not liking the accusatory tone and the condemning look in her Mother's eyes. The one that she was sure many criminals had found intimidating from across the interrogation table, though she just found it annoying. "Klaus is my partner for the history assignment I told you about. And I am dating Tyler," She added as an afterthought, "Klaus is just a friend."

"I don't like you two being here alone and I am sure Tyler would feel the same way."

"Mom!" Caroline exclaimed in disbelief.

"No Caroline. Carol and I work to keep this town in order and is one of my oldest friends. I won't have you going behind her son's back. Not in my house." Liz ordered with a sharp finger waving towards Caroline's face.

"Just what are you implying?" Caroline spat with her cheeks flushing in anger as she reeled back in shock.

Liz's phone buzzed as she leveled her daughter with a scathing glare, pulling it out as she grunted, "You know very well what I am implying and I won't have you soiling this family."

"Some family." Caroline scoffed under her breath, folding her arms over her chest as her Mother read the incoming text.

"What was that?"

"Nothing." Caroline muttered, knowing her Mom wasn't really paying attention any longer. "I don't understand why you always assume the worst of me."

Liz grunted as she placed her phone back into her jacket pocket, "Maybe if you gave me more of a reason to think better of you I would."

"God mom!" Caroline shouted, throwing her arms out wide, "What more do you want from me?!"

"I want you to not _entertain_ ," Caroline nearly growled at the revulsion her Mother's voice carried on that one word, "strange boys in my house when you are dating my best friend's son."

"Fine. You know what? Forget it. It's not even worth the calories I would burn trying to defend myself to you." Caroline huffed as she stuffed her books into her backpack, "I'll go meet Klaus somewhere else to work on our project."

Caroline stomped to the front door, turning the knob and opening it a few inches just as her Mother yelled from behind her.

"It had better be somewhere public or with adult supervision. As I've said..."

"Don't worry Mom. I wouldn't _dream_ of soiling our precious family name. I'll be sure to keep all my whorish illicit activities to the dark quiet shadows." With her voice cracking and tears pooling in her eyes, Caroline flung the door open and charged out of the house.

Upset over her Mother's horrible opinion of her, she failed to notice the figure standing hesitantly on the porch until it was too late.

The breath was knocked from her lungs as she collided with the person. Vaguely she heard a male grunt as their arms and legs wrapped around each other. Lean yet deceptively strong arms banded around her waist, holding her steady. Blushing deeply, she muttered an apology as she extracted herself from his arms. Her breath catching in her throat when she seen the equally flushed face of Klaus minus his glasses.

Pulling her body away from his, she glanced quickly around the porch without moving her feet in fear of accidently stepping on his glasses which would only make this situation more embarrassing. Spotting them laying on the porch beside their feet she quickly scooped them up, handing them to him with a hesitant smile, "Sorry."

Klaus smiled timidly at her as he blew the dust off the lens, "No worries Caroline." He placed the frames back on his face, pushing them further up his nose, "See, good as new." His timid smile fell from his lips and the look of discomfort replacing it had Caroline turning her head to look over her shoulder.

Scoffing at her Mother's imposing form behind the curtain of the front door, Caroline turned back to Klaus with a pasted on grin, "So I was thinking we could work on our assignment somewhere else today. You know, giving us a change of scenery might inspire us some more."

She watched as Klaus swallowed harshly, licking his lips as a deeper flush stole over his face as he stuttered, "My…my Aunt is currently home. We could…we could go there instead?"

Their footsteps echoed over the wooden steps of her porch, quieting as they walked through the grass of her front yard. Caroline groaned at his statement that came out as more of a question. "Ugh. How much did you hear?"

She flicked her blue eyes over to him and upon seeing the deeper hue of his slightly scruffy cheeks she knew she had her answer. "You heard it all, didn't you?"

Klaus winced at her whispered accusation, stumbling over an excuse, "I truly did not mean to overhear Caroline, I swear it. I…I just…and then she started…and…and I wasn't sure what to…"

Caroline paused her steps, her hand gently squeezing his forearm, "Hey, it's fine. I mean," She laughed lightly, "It's not like you were acting out some crazy creepy stalker fetish or anything." She giggled at his rapidly shaking head and wide appalled eyes. "It was just a classic case of being in the wrong place at the wrong time. Which unfortunately, happens to be pretty much every time my Mother and I are home together. Not that we are home together often." Caroline's arms began swinging wildly as she continued ranting while they walked down the street towards the woods.

"I mean seriously?! I'm in the top three of our class. I run all these committees, both inside and outside of school, and you'd _think_ that would be enough to make a Mother proud. But no! Not my Mother. _My_ _Mother_ likes to accuse me of basically being a freaking slut! Seriously! I must be the worst slut to every exist! I mean really, in order to be a slut, you actually have had to at least had sex before. But will my Mom listen to the fact that I am a flipping virgin? Of course not! I…" Caroline's eyes rounded, her hand slapping over her mouth as she looked to Klaus in horror as she realized what she had just inadvertently admitted to. "Oh my God! I…I…God!"

Klaus watched as she began trembling in embarrassment. He could clearly see the fight or flight instincts rearing their heads within her watering eyes. Acting purely on instincts, he reached forward placing his unsteady hands on her forearms, pulling them down so her hands no longer covered her trembling lips. His voice, unknowingly, a soothing balm to her shattered nerves, "Hey, hey. It's okay Love. There is nothing to be embarrassed about. Parent's tend to assume the worst of us no matter what we do or do not do in life. And as far as you're being a," His voice tripped over the word, unable to speak it aloud, before he settled with, "As far as the other thing; there is nothing wrong with waiting for the right person. No need to rush these sorts of things."

Caroline felt her body settle and melt at his softly spoken words and his kind grayish hued eyes. For the first time that day she felt a true smile grow over her lips, "Thanks. That was oddly…perfect."

They began walking once more, making it into the woods in comfortable silence. Caroline chewed on her lower lip, her eyebrows pulled together as she fell deep into her thoughts. It sounded as if he was speaking from personal experience when he calmed her down about her Mom. Her mind landing on the other subject as she wondered if he was also speaking from person experience. She quickly brushed the thought away. Whether he was or not, it was none of her business.

Peeking over at him as he held a low branch out of the way for her to pass by, she realized that she enjoyed his company. Yes, Klaus was a little gun shy at first, but really who wouldn't be after moving to a completely different country only to be surround by people of a small town that knew everything about everyone. It was that thought that made her realize she really didn't know that much about him or his past. Did he regret leaving his home? Was there anyone that he missed? Was all this even his choice? With those thoughts in mind she decided firmly to get to know him. So, as she often did, she surged forward without thinking it through when she asked, "So are you a virgin too?"

Caroline cringed when she seen him flinch. _Damn her stupid mind! Why couldn't it control her mouth just this once!_ "Oh my God Klaus! I'm so sorry! I really didn't mean to ask that at all! I meant to ask about your parent's and your family back home. See I have this horrible disorder, it's non-curable really. I tend to say things, a lot of things, without thinking it through first."

With his face flushed hotter than he had ever felt it before, Klaus attempted to grin but winced when he realized it came out as more of a grimace. "It's fine Caroline. I happen to find your penchant for rambling adorable."

The shock she felt inside matched the odd look on his face that caused Caroline to feel confused. It was almost as if Klaus couldn't believe he had said that out loud. She grinned widely, it was nice to know she wasn't the only one that said things without thinking, "Thanks. I think you're the only person on the planet to feel that way."

Klaus preened under the weight of her beautiful smile. The smile that _he_ had brought to her lovely face, "Well, it's true. And in light of personal secrets being spilled and to answer your invasive question," He grinned cheekily as she shoved his shoulder with a huff at his teasing, "Yes I am."

"Seriously?" She exclaimed in disbelief, "I would have thought that with your looks and your accent all the girls in Mystic Falls would have been throwing themselves at you."

Klaus chuckled self-deprecatingly, kicking a wayward stick from their path, "Yes well, I suppose it would work if I could actually form complete sentences around them."

"True." Caroline said with a sagely nod before adding softly, "But you seem to be doing better with me. It only took a few months but look at us now!"

They shared a laugh, both remembering how their relationship began, as they emerged from the woods, "Ah yes. So at this rate I shall have a date by what? Another year or so?"

"I'm sure it won't take that long." Caroline grinned at him, her eyebrow lifted as she knocked her shoulder into his side.

They ambled towards his Aunt's home in companionable silence, both lost in their own thoughts. Caroline couldn't help peeking over at him, mesmerized by the way the sunlight glittered across his curly hair and his chiseled face. She knew he was handsome the first time she had seen him. In fact, she remembered feeling a little intimidated when she first walked up to talk to him. Then everything went downhill from there. Yet now, with the more time they spent together, the more Klaus seemed to open up to her. And the more she found herself wanting to know more about him. Once he began feeling more comfortable around her, Caroline began to notice sweet he was beneath his shy and rough exterior. But she could also see a darkness within him, some dark threatening cloud that seemed to hang just over his shoulders, weighing him down each time he allowed himself to feel joy.

Caroline scoffed internally at her strange wandering thoughts with their vivid contradictions. Maybe she was just putting on him what she internally felt about herself.

Klaus for his part was reeling inside. Mentally caught between wishing a hole would open up within the Earth beneath his feet so he could hide away in forever or wanting to somehow give himself a high-five.

He chanced a quick glance at her, at the way the sunlight filtering down through the trees and the clouds eliminated her natural beauty. In short, it knocked the breath straight out of his lungs. He could not believe he had said the things that he had to her. So easily and comfortably at that. Never had he ever imagined telling anyone, let alone the girl of his dreams, that he was a virgin. Klaus felt his cheeks heat just at the thought. But the fact that he had been able to comfort her, to say exactly _what_ he wanted _when_ he wanted without trouble? The fact that he had made her smile that blindingly bright smile that he could only fantasize about? It made him feel as if he was on top of the world. As if some deep hidden part of himself, that part of him that berated him when he failed to say what he truly wanted to, came to life and took over without even a thought.

That is, until his Aunt's home came into view.

Swiping his tongue over his lips, Klaus cleared his throat drawing Caroline's attention. With her lovely blue eyes looking at him he felt the stutter return, "I…I feel I should forewarn you, my Aunt can be a bit…eccentric."

Caroline felt a bubble of laughter threaten to escape her throat and cocked her head to the side with a smirk, "I _have_ met her before Klaus." She shook her head slightly, sending her golden curls waving in the glittering sunlight, "I mean I did grow up in this town. Besides," She casually shrugged her shoulders, "Unlike everyone else in this town, I like her. She lives for herself and no one else. It's just so…" Her forehead wrinkled cutely and her hand was waving in front of her as she tried to think of the right way to put it, "Freeing I guess. To live life by your own rules and damn the consequences or what others think? That sounds like such an amazing way to live."

Klaus pressed his lips as he thought about how she had put it. He truly had never thought about it that way before. He had spent his entire life trying, and failing miserably, to please others. While he had envied his Aunt's devil-may-care hippy-ish life style, it had never crossed his mind to wish to live that way himself as it seemed to with Caroline.

"Well, it's nice to hear _someone_ in this small one-tracked town gets it." Dahlia smiled from the front porch. Her long loosely curled hair blowing in the breeze right along with her ankle length multi-hued peasant skirt. Folding her arms over the railing of the front porch, she leaned over resting her upper body on them with a smirk, "So, what brings you two here? I thought you were working at Caroline's today?"

Klaus eyed his Aunt harshly, willing her to stop talking, while they walked up the steps as Caroline answered, "My Mom and I had a bit of a disagreement."

Dahlia's smile faded, showing her sympathy, "Oh I am so sorry dear. Well, you two are welcome to work here." Suddenly she stood straight clapping her hands in excitement startling both Caroline and Klaus. "How about some brain food! I have this mozzarella and cherry tomato dip I have been dying for."

"That sounds lovely. But I don't want to be a bother." Caroline smiled as they walked into the house.

"Oh please!" Dahlia scoffed with a laugh, her bracelets jingling as she waved her hands, "It's no bother at all! In fact, you would be helping me."

Caroline couldn't help but giggle along with her infectious laughter, "How's that? Do you need some help making it?"

"Good heavens no! I need help with the _eating_ of it part." She leaned in closer with a stage whisper, "If you don't, I'll end up eating the entire lot of it all myself!"

"Well in that case, I'd be happy to help." Caroline replied with a large grin.

"Wonderful!"

Caroline giggled as she watched Dahlia practically skip towards the back of the house. Klaus having observed the exchange with avid interest sidled up next to Caroline with a soft grin, "So where would you like to work? We can go into the living room or the…"

Caroline surprised him when she cut him off excitedly, "The sunroom." Giggling at his rapidly blinking owlish eyes and pointing her thumb at her chest, "Lived here my entire life remember? I've actually been in here a few times now." She explained as they walked through the house towards the room opposite the kitchen, "With your Aunt owning the only printing shop in town, I teamed up with her to make all the banners and flyers for the town events. Plus, with her unique style, she has helped me do a lot with the Beautification Committee."

"I thought we promised to keep that a secret Caroline!" Dahlia shouted from the kitchen over the soft music she had playing in the background.

"I figured Klaus could be in on the secret. I mean," She gave Klaus a conspiring grin, "he is your nephew after all."

"I promise not to breath a word of it Auntie." Klaus shouted, trying to keep his chuckling out of his voice.

"Fine. Fine." They heard Dahlia answer back before the music was turned up.

The twosome made it into the large gazebo shaped sunroom connected to the back of the house. The gorgeous four-seasons room always left Caroline in awe every time she visited. The dark stained cedar wood of the structure left the room constantly smelling like she had stepped into the woods. Each piece of furniture was a piece all its own, yet they all complimented each other perfectly. The vivid range of colors from the wall hangings down to the smallest throw pillow made her feel as if she had stepped into some foreign land of rainbows that offered nothing but relaxation and meditation. She knew from experience that the stone fireplace gave off the perfect amount of heat in the winter months and the cooler nights.

She paused with a bright smile after placing her bag on the floor next to a deep purple lounge that was embellished with teal stitching. It was the painting that hung on one of the two walls without windows, directly above the stone fireplace, that always drew her in.

She recalled the first time she had seen it. She had been struck in pure awe and wonder at the beautifully depicted landscape with its rolling grassy hills and majestic lake. The swirling colors of the sunset; its pinks, blues, purple and orange hues made it come to life. Looking as if she could place her hand upon its frame only to be pulled into it scenery.

In short, it always left her feeling breathless.

Klaus quietly placed his bag next to hers on the floor, standing back up with a lick of his lips as he pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose watching Caroline intently.

It looked as though this room had a similar effect on her as it did him. Out of all the eclectic items his Aunt owned in her home and the flow that each room had all its own; this was the room he treasured the most. It was peaceful, a place he could often come and forget himself when his past became too much. And the lighting was spectacular for painting, which he had quickly taken advantage of the moment he arrived.

Klaus was greatly protective of his artwork, timid would be the more proper term. But the painting Caroline was currently enthralled with was one his Aunt had seen a few years ago during a video chat with him and had begged to have it for her home.

In truth, he had forgotten that it hung in the sunroom. Too nervous about having Caroline in his home and still thunderstruck that he had been able to speak with her the way he had on the walk over.

He could feel the sweat gathering on his brow as Caroline sighed wistfully before turning to face him. Wondering what she would say of it, if anything at all.

"I've always loved this painting. Every time I come here I always stop to look at it." Caroline whispered softly before giggling, "Once I was looking at it so long that Dahlia had to call my name over and over again to get my attention." Caroline eyed Klaus critically as she noticed the prideful yet bashful gaze in his eyes as a blush grew over his scruffy cheeks. "Wait a second. Did you do this?"

Klaus cleared his throat, answering her shyly, "Yeah."

"It's gorgeous Klaus. I can't even begin to describe how much."

Her soft smile, the light filtering in through the windows cast her in a shimmering glow combined with her blue eyes sparkled with such honesty made his fingers itch to hold a brush in his hands.

"Ah, I see Caroline got caught up staring at your painting once again." Dahlia waltz in carrying a tray with the dip, bread and drinks. "My nephew is quite the artist." She said smugly as she set the tray down on a low table and laughed, "It just occurred to me, it's a Friday evening and yet the two of you little bookworms are here studying instead of going out on the town."

Caroline shook herself out of the strange daze and odd fluttering she felt in her from the way Klaus had been gazing at her, "Studying for now anyways. There's a bonfire tonight down by the Falls. Hey!" She exclaimed spinning back to look at Klaus with a happy grin, "You should come! You never come to any of these things."

Klaus stumbled his way over to the tray, busying himself with making a plate to hide his flustering chaotic nerves, "Not really my scene, Love."

Caroline smiled endearingly at the adorable way his nose scrunched up as he spoke with his body bend over the low table. Neither noticed Dahlia slowly leaving the room with a huff and an eyeroll. "Well maybe you should make it your scene."

"We should really get to work." Klaus grumbled, setting his plate down and shuffling through his bag, completely missing Caroline's disappointed face.

Though, it was not missed by Dahlia who began to smirk as she walked away.

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They worked together as if they were of the same mind that a few hours passed by without either of them noticing.

Caroline beamed at Klaus, who echoed her smile as she announced, "I think we've got it! I can't believe we were able to gather all the information we needed so soon. At this rate will be done way before it's due." Nibbling on her lower lip, Caroline batted her eyelashes at him, "So, have you giving it anymore thought about us turning this into a mini art show?"

Klaus was thankful as he began sputtering a vague response that Caroline's phone started ringing from her purse.

"Crap!" Caroline exclaimed as she fished her phone from her purse, noticing the time and swiping the screen before placing the it to her ear. "Hey Ty."

" _What the hell Care. Where are you? I know I said I would be here to pick you up at seven but practiced ran late. I'm only a half-hour behind, is that any reason for you to just leave without telling me?"_

Sitting so close to her, Klaus could hear every word Tyler spoke to her. In response, his fist clenched at his side as anger coiled within his gut. He was appalled at the way her so-called boyfriend was speaking to her. His gaze glanced up to Caroline's face, disgusted that she was nervously biting her lower lip as she rushed to shove her things in her bag and offered her apology.

"Sorry Ty. I got into this huge fight with my Mom and left. I completely forgot to text you to tell you I wouldn't be home." Pulling the phone away from her a little, she mouthed to Klaus if it was alright for Tyler to pick her up here. Receiving his nod, she mouthed thank you before quickly righting the phone, "I'm over at Klaus's. Come pick me up here. I'll be ready in a few."

" _Really Caroline? The nerdy art-kid?"_

"Tyler, stop it." Caroline's voice was colored with irritation that he ignored.

" _What the hell are you even doing there? With him?"_

Caroline sighed, "I told you, he's my partner for our history project remember?" Receiving nothing but a grunt in response she continued, "We were supposed to work on our project at my house but my Mom went all crazy on me. You would not even believe the crap she was saying! She actually accused me of…"

" _Yeah, well I don't like you being alone at some guy's house Caroline. I mean really! What will the guys on the team say!"_

Caroline clenched her jaw, ready to tell him that she didn't care what anyone thought or had to say when he interrupted her once again.

" _I'll be there in five."_

Caroline pulled her phone away from her ear with a scoff when she seen he had ended the call, "Rude." Giving Klaus a half-hearted grin, "Sorry about that."

"You have nothing to be sorry for Caroline." Klaus replied softly through his clenched jaw.

"I know I just…" She trailed off with a sigh as her shoulders sagged. Sometimes she wished Tyler would take more interest in what _she_ had going on or what _she_ had been through. But he always focused more on his own life or what others would think. It was just another tally on the ever-growing list of reasons why she didn't think things were working out between them. Giving her head a quick shake to knock that particular line of thought out of her mind that, if she was being honest with herself, she had been traveling down far too often lately she smiled, "So, are you busy tomorrow? Do you want to work on the layout for our project? Maybe take the night to think over the whole art show concept?"

Klaus looked at her with wide eyes feeling a bit stunned that she wanted to spend time with him on a Saturday when she had an entire passel of friends to spend her time with. Even if it was only about their assignment. "Sure," He cleared his throat at the crack in his voice, "that would be lovely." He frowned as he watched her struggle to close her bag from rushing to shove all her things inside, "You may leave your things here if you'd like."

"Are you sure?"

"Of course. We can work here again. You seem to enjoy this room as much as I do."

"We did get a lot more done here than at my house or at school." Caroline voiced slowly as she thought it over.

"So it's settled then." Klaus beamed, his dimples showing proudly in his cheeks.

"Yeah. I guess it is." Caroline uttered a little breathlessly at the sight of the dimples cutting his cheeks. She grinned teasingly as they began walking towards the front of the house, "Look at you. Making plans and being all assertive. Be careful Klaus, I might start to think you've gotten used to me as a friend."

"Are we…" Klaus glanced at her shyly, asking with bated breath, "friends then?"

"Well," She tapped her chin with her index finger before smiling at him warmly as they stood inches apart in front of the front door, "I wouldn't waste a perfectly nice Saturday for homework with just anyone."

His breath flew from his lips, their eyes dancing between each other's as their lips grew into tender shy smiles.

The sounds of an engine revving and a horn honking drew them hastily away from one another.

"That would be Tyler." Caroline announced softly with a hint of regret that she couldn't quite explain.

Klaus could feel the heat from Tyler's glare as he stood in the doorway watching Caroline bounce down the steps. Tyler, who waited for her on the passenger side of his car, yanked her into his arms for an unnecessarily long and lavish kiss.

Caroline pushed Tyler away with her hands placed on his chest and a reprimanding glance before she turned with a smile at Klaus as Tyler walked around the car to the driver's door. "Are you sure you don't want to come along?" She nibbled her lower lip, hoping nether of the boys heard the slight pleading in her tone.

"I'm sure Klaus had other things going on Care. _Right Klaus_?" The implications carried in Tyler's tone was no lost on any of them.

Klaus hastily spoke over whatever it was that Caroline was about to say, "It's fine Caroline. I actually do have a few things to handle this evening."

"Well, if you change your mind?" She added as she opened the passenger door of the car. The odd feeling of disappointment that he declined to tag along made her chest feel strangely tight and brought a slight prickling of tears to her eyes. She nodded to him with what she hoped was a passable smile before getting in the car.

Klaus stuffed his hands in his pants pockets with a nod as he watched them drive away. Sighing heavily as he watched the taillights get smaller, he turned to head back into the house. His mind was so caught up in thinking over how differently the night could have gone if not for the bonfire and that retched Tyler that he nearly missed his Aunt standing in front of him with a set of car keys in her hand.

"Going out Auntie?" He asked gruffly, not truly caring one way of the other.

"No. But _you_ are." She answered with a smile as she dangled the keys from her fingers.

"Really?" He smirked, deciding to play along, "And just where am I going?"

"To the bonfire, you silly boy!"

All the humor dropped from his face as it went blank, "No I am not. Besides, it would be even more social suicide than I can handle to show up with my Aunt in tow."

Dahlia rolled her eyes lightheartedly with a laugh, "I'm not coming along." Walking closer to hand him the keys.

Klaus's eyes glanced from the offered keychain to his Aunt without reaching forward to take them as he muttered, "I thought I wasn't ready to be driving on my own yet. Probation remember?"

"Well you have to start somewhere. And I think chasing after a fair maiden's heart is an excellent place to start." Her cheeky grin fell from her face as she watched her nephew drop his hand to his side, closing it into a fist as his face cleared of all emotions.

"I think I shall pass." Klaus uttered gruffly as he walked past her, "The sunroom needs straightening and there is a painting I have been wishing to try my hand at."

Dahlia watched with a heavy heart as his stiff frame disappeared towards the back of the house. With a forlorn sigh, she gently placed the keys in a bright teal bowl on the entryway table. Her gentle voice echoing throughout the house, "I'll just leave them here in case you change your mind." She held her breath only to blow it out worryingly when she heard nothing in response but furniture shifting and the sound of his easel being pulled out of the hall closet.

Tsking quietly, she went back into the kitchen to clean up, her heart hurting for her nephew and the girl who both thought they were never enough for anyone. The lovely girl who tried so hard to impress others while hiding her true self and her sweet nephew who thought that any whom he cared for would only be tainted by the darkness he wrongly believed he carried within himself. Her mind whirling with ideas to try and help them as she straightened up the kitchen that she forgot to even turn on her favorite music. She had known them both nearly their entire lives and with all they had been through and who they both were to their cores, she just knew they were well suited for each other. They could help each other in ways not to their knowledge but that they so desperately needed and deserved.

The hard part would be not only getting them both to see such a thing, but having the bravery to do so as well.

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I hope you all enjoyed this installment of The Girl.

Up Next: The bonfire. Tyler and Klaus each make bold moves, one "dark" while the other is more "heroic". Small confessions bring Klaus and Caroline closer together and we learn a little bit about Klaus's past.

Thank you all so much for reading! Also if there are any scenarios you as the readers would like me to try and work into this story do not hesitate to let me know! If I can fit it in The Girl I will, if not I can always make another Klaroline Drabble!


	4. Chapter 4

Hi Everyone! I am terribly sorry for the long wait on this and my other stories. Life has been busy and not very kind to me lately. Everything is fine, nothing that can't be fixed (such as overflowing washing machines) or handled (such as throwing my back out so bad I couldn't sit/stand or even think for the past month).

I am working on coming out of this stupid writer's block I've had as well. In fact, if you are also dealing with that dumb wall, head over to Tumblr and search, **Klaroline MashUp** , type it in the search as all one word. A new Klaroline writing/creating event has been made!

Anywho, I'll let you get to it. I hope you enjoy! Any and all mistakes are my own. I do not own TVD/TO.

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The night air was crisp but the fire was roaring and large, emitting enough heat that the light cardigan Caroline wore was enough to keep her warm. She stood in a group of Tyler's friends, smiling and chuckling under her breath with barely any effort, assuming they all thought she was paying attention. Glancing around at most of the senior and junior classmates laughing and dancing, some even drinking whatever booze they could smuggle from home or get an older sibling to buy, she couldn't help but feel apart from it all.

Tyler's arm latched firmly around her waist since getting out of his car wasn't helping.

It was odd. Tyler's presence always used to make her feel safe, secure and loved. But now? Now she couldn't help but feel stifled and smothered. The way his grip tightened when the guys jokingly asked why she was spending so much time with Klaus and if Tyler had new competition.

Of course, they never called Klaus by his actual name. Caroline scoffed under her breath thinking of the names they had called him earning her a sideways glare from Tyler. By the look in his eyes her freshly painted on grin did nothing to calm his own raging thoughts.

Her assumption was proved true when he spoke up over the laughter of his friends.

"Alright guys. Enough football talk. Me and my girl here," He pulled Caroline in tighter causing an uncomfortable grunt to whoosh from her lips, "are going for a walk."

The lecherous eyes and cat-call whistles that followed them as Tyler led her towards the darkened woods made her skin crawl. Why was it that guys their age only seemed to have one thing on their minds? Caroline thought as she dutifully followed beside Tyler, wondering if it ever changed when guys reached a certain age. She could only hope that would prove to be true as her mind raced with ways to get out of this without pissing Tyler off.

So deep in thought of things she really didn't want to deal with right now, she didn't realized they had come to a stop just inside the cover of the trees until Tyler's voice jolted her.

"What the hell is going on Care?"

"What do you mean?" She asked feigning innocence.

Tyler ran a hand through his hair in frustration as he threw his other arm out wide, "I mean that you aren't even here!"

Caroline giggled, tilting her head with a soft smile, "Tyler I'm standing right here, where else would I be?"

"That's just it Care, I don't know!" He shouted before sighing when he seen her flinch, "Normally you are the life of the party, right smack at the center of it all. But tonight, I don't know, it's like you're miles away."

"Sorry Ty." She placed her hand on his chest trying to appease him, "I just have a lot on my mind right now is all."

"What? Like Klaus?" He sneered.

"Excuse me?" She fired off, yanking her hand off his chest to wave a pointed finger in his face with her other fisted against her hip, "I don't like the tone you're taking with me. And no! Not Klaus. Just…it's just…" She stumbled over her words huffing before whispering pleadingly, "You just want things I'm not ready for Tyler."

"This is about sex?" He blurted with large eyes before laughing softly as he gentle pressed her back against a tree. While his smile was soothing, it did little to calm her nerves as she gazed at him with big doe eyes.

"Tyler, what…"

"Shh. It will be fine Caroline. I mean I get it, as a girl you're scared about the pain but you know I wouldn't hurt you." He whispered the last bit before laying a series of sloppy kisses along her neck. His thigh pressed between hers caused more of a discomfort than the pleasure she was sure he intended it to be.

Caroline knew he wasn't trying to make her uncomfortable. She knew he was only attempting to put her in the mood but all his lips and body pressed up against her was doing was making her stomach sick and her skin crawl.

She halfheartedly tried to push him away by his shoulders, "Wait Ty."

"Just give it a chance Care." He mumbled against her neck, the scent of booze on his breath finding its way up to her nose made her even more sick.

She called his name again, gripping the back of his hair to pull him away which only spurred him on, bringing a groan from his lips seconds before his teeth nipped into her neck.

"Ow!" She screeched, pushing him away with all her might making him stumble back in shock. Her hand raced to her throat in horror, pulling her fingers back fully expecting to find blood on them. Her relief at finding that was not the case was short lived as her temper began to flare. "What the hell Tyler!" She shouted as she shoved him, "What's wrong with you?!"

Tyler stood stunned at her outburst before sneering, "What's wrong with me? How about what's wrong with _you_?!"

Caroline roughly crossed her arms over her chest with a scoff, "You cannot be serious right now. I kept telling you to stop and then you…you freaking _bit me_!"

Tyler's face went red with embarrassment before the alcohol in his system turned it to rage, "I thought you were enjoying yourself!"

"Well maybe you should get a clue because I _so_ wasn't!"

"We're teenagers Care, with raging hormones and all! Its _normal_ to want sex and all the things involving sex."

"So what? You're saying I'm not _normal_ because I don't?"

He knew she was twisting his words around, just like she always did and it drove him nearly insane causing him to lash out, "That's exactly what I'm saying! I mean seriously Care! Do you have any idea of much flack I get from the guys over this?"

Caroline laughed sarcastically as she threw her arms out wide, "Oh yeah, god forbid you have to ward off some stupid locker room banter. I should just have sex with you to save you from that travesty."

"Yes, you should!" Somewhere in the back of Tyler's mind he knew he had just taken things a step too far but in the heat of the moment he couldn't bring himself to care.

Caroline scoffed, roughly crossing her arms over her chest, "That was sarcasm you dimwit."

"Well it doesn't make it any less true." He grumbled harshly.

"I'm just supposed to offer up my virginity for your social standing?" Her voice cracked as she screeched. "Seriously Ty, get bent." She huffed before turning to storm away shaking her head.

"You know I have plenty of other offers Caroline! If you don't do this I can find someone who will!" Tyler shouted after her.

She knew it should hurt more, it did in fact burn like acid in her stomach, but she felt so much anger coursing through her that she turned numb as she spoke softly over her shoulder, "Then go ahead. I'm done. I'm not going to do something that should be special just because you want to save face. If you really loved me at all you'd see that."

She wandered around the outskirts of the crowd for about twenty minutes. Somehow, and she had no idea how or when, she found herself with a solo cup filled with the heavily spiked punch in her hands.

Ten minutes later she had another.

Five minutes after that she downed her second cup only to grab yet another after being pulled from her inner thoughts by a group of guys hooting and hollering as a couple made out heavily against a tree.

It was Tyler and Vicky Donovan.

Xxx

Klaus sighed as he shut the door to his Aunt's car, pausing to lean against it wondering what the hell he was even doing here as he shifted the keys back and forth in his hands.

He had just finished the base of the portrait he had been working on when all his inspiration for painting fled him and instead propelled him towards the bowl holding the keys and out the door.

She had just looked so disappointed when he said he wasn't coming and he couldn't get that haunting image from his head.

 _Of course she was disappointed you bloody fool!_ His other suave inner-self berated. _You were getting along famously and then you had to go and muck it up after she all but begged you to come._

Klaus scoffed quietly, he was sure that was not the case at all. But he couldn't help the hopeful whispering of, _what if it was_ , from floating through his mind.

Was it only because she felt sorry for him that he did not have any friends or was it something more that pushed her to invite him along? He had no idea but he knew he had to find out for sure. He had to know, even if it killed him, if she felt anything even remotely close for him as he did towards her.

He had surprised himself as he drove the darkened streets, following the roads to the woods where the local teens always held these sorts of things without incident. It gave him the much-needed ego-boost that if he could handle the unfamiliar streets with ease then maybe, just maybe, he could see this thing through with Caroline.

Knowing it was now or never he drew in a steadying breath, sliding his glasses further up his nose as he pushed himself off the side of the car intent on finding Caroline through the throng of drunken partygoers he could hear just beyond the tree line.

Having arrived late, Klaus had no choice but to park at the far end of the makeshift parking lot. As he weaved through the cars, his mind played out all the possible scenarios of the coming moments. He would either find Caroline or she could have left with that no-account mutt Tyler already. Best case, he'd find her and she would be thrilled to see him. Worse case, he'd find her snogging with her boyfriend.

But of all the scenarios his mind cooked up, coming upon a stumbling drunk Caroline in the center of parking lot was not one of them.

The world was spinning too fast. _Yes, that's what the problem was_ , Caroline thought as she propped her body against a pickup truck and leaned down to remove her shoes. Maybe if she took them off she would be all one-with-the-Earth. Only the Earth must have really wanted to be one with her as she slipped after removing only one shoe and fell flat on her rear.

Giggling she stayed on track, leaning over her sprawled legs to remove the other pesky shoe, vaguely hearing the muddled sound of her name being called.

Klaus rushed around the remaining vehicle that stood between them after he saw her fall. Calling her name worriedly as he came to a stop and knelt down beside her.

"There! Finally!" Caroline exclaimed once she was able to unhook the strap of her sandal.

"Caroline, are you alright?"

A slightly winded voice echoed around her just as a hand touched her shoulder. Looking up with slightly confused eyes, as if she had no idea she was no longer alone, it took her sight a few seconds to adjust to the off-kilter world before she realized who was next to her.

"Klaus! You made it!" Her slightly slurred shout startling Klaus as he noticed the glazed look in her eyes as she smiled drunkenly.

"Aye, I did. How about we get you up off the ground, hmm?" He was relieved when she didn't oppose to him assisting her off the ground, he knew all too well how alcohol could affect a person.

"Yeah let's, I can't be one with it anyways." She slurred as she wobbled slightly as she stood with his assistance, "I think the Earth and I are working against each other tonight."

Klaus chuckled, "What?"

"Oh nothing." She laughingly waved him off as she brushed the dirt off her back, attempting to look over her shoulder to be sure she got it all off only to end up spinning in circles. Once she stood straight, with only minor swaying she beamed a bright lopsided smile at him, "Klaus! You came!"

"Yes, I think we've covered this already." Klaus laughed as Caroline's rosy cheeks deepened in color and her tongue peeked out with a cheeky grin.

"Have we?" She shrugged her shoulders, "Oh well. You missed one heck of a night let me tell you what." Caroline pressed her lips together as she began turning in wobbly circles once again, scouting the ground for what Klaus had no clue.

"Ugh! I lost it!" She exclaimed, tossing her arms out to let them fall dejectedly against her thighs.

"What Caroline?" Klaus furrowed his brow in concern, "What did you lose?"

"My purse! Which really and truly sucks on top of a really and truly sucky night."

Klaus had to press his lips together to hold back his laughter at her drunken antics, "Sweetheart?"

Her shimmering and trusting blue eyes darted to his face as she sighed dreamily, "I like when you call me that."

"Wh..what?" He stammered as an excited tremor coursed through him, not sure whether his ears were deceiving him or not.

"Huh?" Caroline asked with a confused tilt of her head before going back to looking for her purse. "Seriously! It must be here somewhere. I am _so_ not going back to that party."

Shaking himself out of his daze at her possible admission, "Um, _Sweetheart_?"

"Huh?"

He smirked, his inner-self shouting in glee, as he discovered his ear had not been deserving him by the dazed look in her eyes at his use of the pet name once again. Pointing at her, "Your purse is hanging on you."

Pouting she looked down at her body to find her purse slung across her chest. "Oh. Well there the dang thing is!"

Her look of pure perplexation and awe that she finally found what she had thought to be lost had him near doubling over in laughter, "Just how much have you had to drink this evening?"

Caroline nibbled her lower lip, shuffling on her feet sheepishly, "Maybe one or four."

His eyes widened in shock. He knew drinking was typically involved at these parties but Caroline never seemed the type to over indulge, especially with her always needing to feel in control. Something must have occurred tonight to cause her to act so out of character. _No doubt that blasted Tyler had something to do with this._ He growled inside his own head.

Caroline felt her eyes begin to suddenly feel heavy. She didn't normally drink so much but with the fight with Tyler and seeing him getting hot and heavy with Vicky she didn't even think about how much she was drinking. "Now I just want to curl up in bed and go to sleep. But I can't go home like this, my mom will kill me. And Elena already took off with Stefan and Bonnie didn't even show up."

Even though it curdled his stomach to ask, Klaus voiced, "Where's Tyler? Shouldn't he be helping you find a place to stay?"

Caroline startled momentarily when she realized she must have said some of that out loud before she scoffed, "Tyler is probably too busy sucking face with the town slut." She looked to Klaus and waved off his astonished look, "But I don't want to talk about that. I just want to go to sleep."

Klaus took a moment to think. From what he had gathered from her drunken ramblings, the girls she normally sported about with had either gone or not shown at all. Glancing down to his watch, he grimaced at the time. It was far too late to give Bonnie a ring and drop Caroline off there, and after the argument he had heard earlier between her and her Mother there was no way he would take her home only to be ridiculed and belittle later. _We know enough about how that goes, don't we ole chap?_ He shook his head to clear the dark path he had no desire to travel down.

He looked back up at Caroline, her face temporarily disappearing due to a passing car's headlights bringing a glare to his glasses. Once the car had passed and his vision cleared he was met with such a darling look about her face that is warmed his heart as he made his decision.

Caroline's half-lidded childlike eyes watched him as he stepped in closer to her, "I hope you do not find this too forward, but if you would like, if…if it would suit, you are welcome to come home and stay with me." Her gasp of breath caused him to stutter on, "I mean…that is not to say that…of course it would be…" Klaus growled at his bumbling before rushing out, "I am quite sure my Aunt would not mind if you slept it off at her home."

A peal of laughter burst passed her lips, "Always the proper one aren't you Klausy?" Her step forward was more of a stumble as she stopped him from speaking, "I'm only joking." She held herself up in a mocking attempt at how she thought a high-borne lady would be like, "Why I'd be honored kind sir to have a place to sleep off this dreadful drink."

Klaus couldn't contain his laughter, nor the warmth spreading through his chest at the look of pride on her face. Offering her his arm with a nod, "Well then m'lady, let us see you from this place safely."

Klaus had breathed a sigh of thanks and relief that it hadn't taken more than a few missteps and a couple near falls to get Caroline safely seated within the car. He tried to drive as cautiously as he could and pay attention to the dark empty street, but his eyes kept traveling to his oddly silent companion. He knew she was still intoxicated but he couldn't help but wonder where her mind had taken her as she stared out the passenger side window.

"Do you ever feel like there's not a person in the world that loves you?"

Her tired voice shocked him, not just the sound of it but the words themselves. Did she really think that way? Did she truly feel so alone that she thought no one cared? This beautiful, exquisite creature whose mere presence brought with it such a warm and shining light into his world of perpetual darkness?

He wanted to tell her yes. That, _Yes Caroline. I feel that every single moment of my meager existence. But once such as you?_ He would scoff with a tender smile and a shake of his head, _You are beautiful and strong. You who are so full of light that I would die a thousand deaths upon a thousand swords just to save you from any pain. I would move the Earth and change the course of time itself just to see that gorgeous smile upon your lips. I would worship the very ground upon which you walk because there is a person in this world that loves you. Or perhaps could. For I…_

"Are we driving on the wrong side of the road or am I really that drunk?"

Her sudden shifting in her seat and voice caused his eyes to widen as he realized he was indeed driving on the wrong side of the road.

"Shit." He muttered under his breath as he carefully moved the car into the correct lane. _Wonderful! Great going Klaus! You offer to see the girl home safely only to put her in grave danger as you wax poetic in your own love-sick addled brain!_

Sheepishly he glanced over to Caroline who seemed to be coming out of her alcohol induced haze, "I'm terribly sorry Caroline. I should have been more cautious with you in the car. I do hope you can forgive me."

Her eyes were sleepy yet her smile was soft when she turned to him, "So if I wasn't in the car you wouldn't be more careful?"

Klaus opened and closed his mouth, sputtering nonsense making Caroline giggle sweetly.

"I hope that's not the case Klaus." She laid her hand on his arm giving it a gentle squeeze before pulling back, "I wouldn't want anything to happen to you either."

Klaus smiled softly at her before he grimaced with a cough, "Yes, well umm…if we could make it a point to not mention this to my Aunt. She's only just trusted me with the car again and I would hate to lose my driving privileges once more."

Caroline shifted onto her side in the seat so she could lay her heavy head down but still look at him. For a moment, she was mesmerized by the way the streetlights played over his handsome chiseled face before his words crept into her tired mind, "Wait? So this has happened before? Driving on the wrong side of the road?"

"In my defense, where I'm from you Americans are the ones driving on the wrong side of the road, not I."

"Yeah but when in Rome."

Her low drawn out voice captured his attention. She was dangerously close to falling asleep which made him grateful he had just turned onto his Aunt's street.

He was able to garner her help in moving her along from the car and up the porch steps, but when he left her sitting in a chair next to the front door so he could turn the key within the lock that was when her assistance ended. She had fallen fast asleep.

Carefully he scooped her up into his arms, carrying her as quietly as possible into the house. His sigh of relief was short lived when he pushed the door closed with his foot just a touch too hard.

It wasn't a few moments later that his Aunt came scurrying into the room with her robe fanning out around her legs, a wooden baseball bat clutched high above her head.

Seeing it was her nephew, Dahlia's breath flew from her lungs as she lowered the bat and leaned it against the wall before flicking on a low table lamp. "So Klaus, how did it…" She trailed off as she took in the slumbering blonde that was curled up within her nephew's arms. Her eyes quickly scanned them both, finding dirt smudges on his knees while Caroline was covered on what little she could tell from her backside. "Is she alright?"

"She will be." Klaus hoped that would be enough and his Aunt would allow him to pass up the set of stairs that led to the upper level of the house, but by the look in her eyes and the tapping of her bare foot he knew that hope was pointless. Sighing he explained in a hushed tone, "I found her on the ground in the parking area. From what little I could understand she had a rough go of things this evening. I couldn't very well leave her there, nor could I take her home in her intoxicated state."

Dahlia gasped in surprise, her hand flying to her chest, "Caroline? Drunk? That doesn't make any sense."

"Aye. I thought the same."

They shared a look, both knowing whatever had happened tonight had affected Caroline immensely if she resorted to drinking so much.

Dahlia stepped forward, placing a hand on her nephew's arm with a proud smile, "I'm glad you had the foresight to bring her here. With the guest room packed with boxes and such it would take us too long to make up the bed thought."

"I was going to place her in my room." As his Aunt's eyes opened wide he sought to assure her, "Alone. I will take the sofa."

Dahlia grinned with a nod of her head, "Right. That's a good lad." She moved around him to walk towards the front door, "You see her off to bed, I'll lock up."

Dahlia had to bite her cheek to hold back the impressed and dreamy sighs at the way her nephew, a young man who thought himself incapable of love in any form, was cradle the girl to his chest as if she was the most precious thing on the planet. She wondered as she took out the keys he had mistakenly left in the lock of the door if he noticed that, even in her sleep, Caroline was gripping onto him tightly as if she trusted that he would protect her from the entire world.

Upstairs Klaus quietly chuckled as he had to pry Caroline's death grip off the collar of his jacket. Swiping his tongue over his lips in thought, he decided to chance it and turned his desk lamp on low. His eyes quickly scanned the room of anything that might embarrass him were she to find it in the morning. Thanks to his cleanliness, he only found a stray dirty sock that quickly found its home within his hamper.

He scurried quickly back down the stairs, finding his Aunt had already left a cold bottle of water as well as a few pills to help ward off any discomfort Caroline might feel in the morning before she must have trusted him enough to head back to bed.

He stopped off in the hall closet to grab a few extra blankets and pillows, dropping all but one blanket off into the living room, he took his spoils back upstairs to his room.

 _Caroline's_ temporary room.

Klaus gulped at the sight of her curled up on her side upon his bed.

Just how many times had this fantasy played out inside of his…scolding himself he shook his head at his very untimely and ungentlemanly thoughts.

He placed the bottle of water and the pills on the nightstand before quietly grabbing a pair of pajama bottoms from his drawer.

As he unfolded the blanket and gently covered Caroline's slumbering form, he could not help but smile tenderly at her as a lock of her golden blonde hair laid across her face. As softly as he could, not able to resist the temptation and reasoning that it was such a minor infraction, he brushed the backs of his finger over her smooth cheek and hooked the strand of hair behind her dainty ear.

Her quiet groan was like ice in his veins, causing him to pull his hand back as if it burnt him.

 _It would be no more than you deserve for touching her, no matter how innocently, as she sleeps. You are not a cad Klaus!_

Too busy reprimanding himself, he failed to notice her eyes slowly open and her hand moving to catch him by the wrist.

His breath caught in his throat at the contact, his neck snapping down to look at her as she latched onto his hand and pulled him down to sit beside him.

His eyes were widened like a startled animal as she slowly sat up, cupping one side of his face with her delicate hand. Her voice was low and her face so close to his own that her breath brushed over his lips, "Thank you Klaus." Her husky sleep filled voice echoed softly around them just before her sweet lips brushed a tender kiss at the corner of his mouth.

The feeling of her lips so close and partly upon his own stopped his heart before sending it soaring, nearly pounding out of his chest. His skin tingled wondrously where her lips had touched as she pulled back with a soft smile before laying back down.

He moved in a daze, snapping the light off and padding downstairs in a breathless awe.

The tingle her lips left behind stayed with him long after he changed, removed his glasses and laid down on the sofa. It stayed long into the night as he traced his fingers over the place she had kissed, staring at the ceiling wondering what it meant and more importantly, would she remember doing so in the morning?

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There we have it! Sorry for the long wait.

Up Next: Caroline wakes up in odd surroundings, makes an intriguing discovery and a deal is struck by the goodhearted meddler Dahlia.


	5. Chapter 5

AUTHORS NOTE AT BOTTOM. PLEASE TAKE A FEW MINTUTES TO READ IT WHEN YOU ARE FINISHED, IT WOULD MEAN SO MUCH TO ME.

I do not own TVD/TO. All I own is what my own mind dreams up.

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Caroline became aware in slow, small increments. First it was the soreness in her head, nothing that a glass of water and some aspirin, followed by a warm shower and a cup of coffee wouldn't cure. Next was the tenderness of her legs and bottom when she stretched. Again, nothing the shower wouldn't cure. She'd had worse before after a rigorous training exercise for cheerleading practice. After taking stock of her physical ailments, she became aware of a few other things.

First, she as still dressed in everything but her shoes. Something even in her drunken state she would have taken care of, no one likes to sleep in jeans. The second caused her to frown, she was definitely _not_ in her own bed.

Cautiously she cracked her eyes open, breathing sigh of relief that she was alone in the bed. Her eyes then skimmed around the room, taking in the light gray walls, the neatness of the room. A large wooden roll-top desk sat close to the window, but what caught her attention was the corkboard that hung over the desk. It was filled with clippings of artwork, some famous so obviously handmade, along with photographs of people she had never seen before and was too far away to really make out their features. As she continued inspecting the board as she laid curled in the soft blanket, her eyes picked up on a photo of a very famous landmark.

Big Ben.

The artwork, the photos of the people she had never seen, Big Ben. It all came rushing back to her in an instant. Flooding her mind with the events of last night, making her press her head face down into the pillow with a groan. Tyler, Vicky, drinking, crying, _Klaus_.

Gingerly she sat up, brushing the blanket off her as she went. Spying a glass of water and two small white pills placed on a napkin on top of the bedside table, she whispered a silent thank you for small favors and Klaus's thoughtfulness.

"A little worse for wear I see," Dahlia smiled teasingly as Caroline's head quickly turned towards the door, "But not too much."

Caroline grimaced, patting down her hair self-consciously as she stood on shaky legs, "I hope you don't mind that Klaus brought me here last night."

Dahlia waved her hand with a soft huff, "Of course not. I'd rather know that you were here, safe and sound then sleeping it off in some makeshift parking lot." She grinned, her eyes twinkling, "It would seem that my nephew can be quite the gallant rescuer when provoked." She picked up on the subtle blush infusing the young girl's cheeks, curious as to what memory sparked such a reaction but, not wanting to pry, she easily changed the subject.

Caroline's body froze at the woman's comment before she began fidgeting her hands together. In want of something to distract herself she turned her back to Dahlia to straighten up the bed and folding the blanket as her mind caught up with what happened last night in this very room. She had _kissed_ Klaus! But in her sloppy, drunken haze she completely missed her mark, landing on the side of his mouth instead of his full lips, no doubt slobbering all over him in the process. _God! How grossed out he had to have been! Seriously Caroline!_

"If you'd like," Caroline placed the folded blanket on the foot of the bed, turning towards Dahlia's voice, "you can take a shower here while I wash your clothes. I'm sure I can rustle up something for you to wear in the meantime."

Caroline was ready to deny her, to get out of her as fast as her legs could carry her, but catching the sight of her jeans and shirt in the full-length mirror beside the door, as well as the ratty state of her hair, quickly changed her mind. "That would be great, thanks." If she had to face Klaus after she made such a fool of herself last night, at least she could do it clean and fresh instead of looking like some freak with messy hair while smelling, and looking, like she rolled around in god knows what in the woods.

"Good then. You can use my private bath, just in case my nephew decides to wake up soon. We wouldn't want him stumbling in on you in the shower, would we?" Dahlia laughed as she led Caroline to her bedroom, missing the girl's flushed cheeks and wide eyes.

After showering, Caroline did the best she could with what little she had with her. With no face powder she was left with her natural glow which, thankfully for her, she didn't have any blemishes that needed covering up. With a light swipe of mascara to liven her eyes back up, she decided to forgo the lip-gloss figuring the light red shade would look out of place. She towel dried her hair as best she could, leaving it to airdry with a subtle wave before unwrapping the extra tooth brush Dahlia had gave her.

Once she was finished she padded into Dahlia's bedroom wrapped in a fluffy blush colored towel to find the outfit the woman had said she would lay out for her.

There on the bed was a beautiful, soft full-length sundress. It's cream coloring with large rose and pink flowered pattern was breathtaking. Caroline snapped on her bra and dug into her purse with her Granny's voice echoing in her head.

 _Always carry an extra set of panties with you Carebear. You never know when you might get caught somewhere and find yourself in need of a new pair. No Lady wants to be caught with dirty panties._

Her young ten-year-old mind didn't understand the advice at the time, but she had always taken whatever her Granny said to heart. Thankfully Caroline had even taken it a step further and took to carrying a pair of flesh toned panties. Had she carried any other color, they would have shown through the lovely dress. She marveled at how the dress fit her like a glove, yet it's loose skirt flowed down from her waist, swirling around her ankles as she made her way downstairs.

Caroline nervously walked towards the kitchen, the delicious aroma of coffee, and her desperate need of it, giving her the bravery she needed to face Klaus. She softly blew out the breath she was holding, relieved to find Dahlia pattering around the kitchen alone, though her hesitation must have shown on her face.

"He's still sleeping," Dahlia said, pointing the rubber spatula towards the door, "That's the only reason my music isn't blaring. Nothing like working in the kitchen and dancing as you go."

Caroline giggled as she breezed into the room, heading straight for the coffeepot. "I won't lie, I do the same thing when I'm alone at home."

The scent of freshly brewed coffee and sizzling bacon slowly woke Klaus slumber. Blindly he lifted an arm over his head, searching for his glasses as he threw the blanket off him and stood from the sofa. Stumbling towards the scrumptious smells in his half-awake state, his body hummed as if he'd had a delicious dream that's contents were just beyond his reach. He stopped in the open doorway of the kitchen, his bare toes curling against the cool wood floor as he stretched his arms over his head with a wide yawn, "What's for breakfast Auntie?"

Caroline was glad she was sitting at the island, her coffee mug held between both hands in front of her mouth, concealing the way it all but fell open with a gasp upon his arrival.

His sleep tousled hair was messy and his glasses sat crooked on his nose giving him a charming, boyish look. Through the sight of him in his pajama's, a simple _Panic At The Disco_ t-shirt paired with low hanging blue plaid lounge pants gave him more of a manly air. She had never seen a boy in his pajamas before, and the sight caused her heart to pound an odd rhythm. Add to that, the fact that when he stretched his arms up over his head, his shirt lifted with the motion, baring his lower abdomen to her wandering gaze. Showing her starved senses just how firm and lean his body was beneath his clothing. He arched his body to the left just a smidge allowing the defined V-shape below his navel to come into view, the light smattering of hair beginning to peek from the top of his pants.

It took her a moment to realize that the kitchen had fell quiet during her highly inappropriate self-indulgence.

Dahlia chuckled at the two of them, how blind they had to be to miss the way the other all but devoured them. Waving her cooking utensil in small circles at her nephew, "Well don't just stand there gawking at the girl, wish her good morning already."

Klaus cleared his throat, scratching the back of his neck as he stuttered gruffly, "Good morning Car…Caroline."

She clutched her mug tighter at the sound, her cheeks still burning, "Morning."

"I…I'm just going to go…that is, I'll be back in a moment." He stumbled in his haste to leave, his cheeks flushing as he made his way up the stairs and out of sight. Cursing himself for his sleep addled mind and body for forgetting that Caroline was here. That Caroline had slept in his bed. That Caroline had kissed him so sweetly at the corner of his mouth last night. That Caroline looked so beautiful with the morning sunlight filtering in through the windows. As he rushed through his room, grabbing new clothes before sprinting into the bathroom across the hall, he couldn't help but wonder what she remembered of last night.

If Klaus took a little longer to get ready and come back downstairs than normal, Dahlia didn't draw attention to it. Though it was hard for her to hold her tongue with the way those two flitted around each other, tossing covert looks at the other and blushing deeply when caught. She wished there was a way she could force these two to spend more time together than just for working on this project of theirs. To get them to see what she seen without them knowing it was her pulling their strings.

The chance she was looking for came sooner than expected, as if it was meant to be.

After finishing their breakfast, Caroline quickly offered to clean up with Klaus all but pouncing at the chance to assist her. Dahlia sat back, halfheartedly reading the newspaper while sipping on her coffee, watching as the two young ones fumbled and stuttered every time the brushed against one another.

Caroline took it upon herself to organize the haphazard stack of papers on the small table under the window. Partly because she couldn't handle clutter, or open cupboard doors, she shot Klaus a reprimanding glare as she closed yet another door behind him. But also, because she needed to get some space from him. The kitchen was a decent size and they did work well together but with each accidently brush of his arm or his hand grazing hers, she felt her heart pounding inside her chest, almost as if a butterfly had taken up residence there.

She had just organized one pile and was ready to move onto the next, when her foot caught the leg of the table and her arm swiped the pile, sending the whole thing to the floor.

"Crap!"

Klaus placed the last clean mug in the cupboard before rushing to her side to help. Watching a few of his stray art pencils rolling across the floor he chased after them, more worried about the expensive pencils being lost under the stove than he was about the spiraled sketch book they had fallen out of that Caroline now held in her hands. Fishing the last pencil from beneath the edge of the stove, Klaus turned to Caroline only to have his face fall with dread.

"Oh my gosh." Caroline exclaimed in awe as she leafed through the pages, "Klaus, is this yours?"

"Um, yeah." He scratched the back of his neck as she glanced up at him before leaning forward to gentle try and remove the book from her grasp, "I just don't like anyone looking at it, it isn't finished yet."

Caroline studied the pages, pulling the book away and pointedly ignoring him as she followed along with the storyline he had made, "This is amazing Klaus. It's so creative that you turned this little boy's cancer into a hidden superpower instead. How did you ever come up with it?"

Her eyes were so innocent as she asked, causing him to feel torn on whether to tell her or not and how much to tell her. "It's for my youngest brother. I'm creating it for him as a Christmas gift."

"It's beautiful Klaus." She smiled warmly, understanding that the main character must have been based on his brother, "I mean, your dialogue needs a little work but I could help you with that…if you want?" Suddenly she gasped, grasping his arm as her eyes rounded, "Oh my God! Major brainstorm!"

Klaus opened his mouth to ask, but in her excitement, she didn't give him a chance.

"You know how you still haven't answered me about the whole, let's do our project as an art showcase thing?" She pressed her lips at him before continuing, "How about we do a mini comic book instead? You can draw the characters and I can write the storyline. And then we can make enough copies for everyone to read along with in class! This is a guaranteed A for sure! What do you say Klaus? Please?"

She still held his arm tightly and in her eagerness, she had slid closer to him on the floor, her giant blue eyes staring at him pleadingly putting him in a daze, causing him not to think before he spoke, "Just how will I draw twenty-five copies in time, Sweetheart?"

Sitting this close to her he could see the moment her breath caught and her pupils widened slightly at the term of endearment. It drew him into a foggy daze, the fact that _he_ could affect her so.

"Ahem." Their eyes swung over towards Dahlia, who sat at the island looking suspiciously smug, "I _do_ own a printing shop Klaus."

"That's perfect!" Caroline clapped with glee.

"Yes," Klaus replied slowly, "but we cannot expect to use your place of business for free, nor do we have the money to afford it."

"Hmm, that _is_ true." Dahlia tapped her fingers against her chin, pretending to think it over, taking the moment to come up with the perfect scheme. "But if you two are open to it, I do have the backroom at the shop that I have been meaning to get cleaned out and organized. I just haven't had the time to do it myself nor have I found anyone I trusted enough to do it for me. So, here's the deal, you two spend a few days after school for the next few weeks, when you're not working on your project or other homework of course, cleaning it out and in lieu of your payments I will cover the cost of the materials."

"Come on Klaus, Please?" Caroline grabbed his hand, pressing between her own, "This is so, _so_ perfect! And we can both do what we really love instead of writing stuffy reports or the individual art pieces from before."

He knew it would be the A-worthy project she claimed it to be. He knew that this would not only help his Aunt but in turn give him even more time to spend with Caroline like he longed. In the end, it wasn't the help it would give his Aunt, it wasn't the A they would receive, it wasn't even the voice screaming inside his head to take all the extra time with her that he could. It was his hand trapped between Caroline's tiny warm ones and her large hopeful eyes aimed up at him that he did not want to disappoint that had him breathing out the word, "Yes."

"Yes? Seriously? Yes!" Caroline giggled, throwing herself into his arms and wrapping hers around his neck as they tumbled to the floor.

Klaus felt his heart stutter within his chest as her soft warm body engulfed his, his arms wrapped around her to stop their fall and his face was covered in a glorious curtain of slight wet blonde hair.

He unwrapped an arm from around her back, carefully brushing her hair back over her shoulder. Her sparkling blue eyes stared into his with such joy that he lost his breath. Her natural beauty was a feast for his eyes, and the light rosy hue covering her cheeks only made her all the more, "Breathtaking."

His eyes widened and he gulped as he realized he had spoken the work aloud, though his eyes darkened a shade as she bit her lower lip and smiled.

The house phone ringing drew them both to attention, making them aware once more that they were most certainly not alone in the room. Caroline scrambled off of him and Klaus slowly stood, both taking notice that Dahlia had left the room at some point as she came sauntering back in with a slightly unhappy look.

She held the phone out to her nephew, "It's your sister."

Klaus took the phone, confused as to why his Aunt would be unhappy that Rebekah was calling and excused himself from the room.

Caroline watched him leave, her mind held its own confusion over how her body had reacted to being wrapped up within his arms. She moved back to the scattered papers, bending to pick them up as she organized them on the table. She had made out with Tyler a few times, things even got a little farther than just a few kisses, but always over their clothing. She even recalled feeling hot and breathless afterwards. But just a simple unplanned moment within Klaus's arms, his lean yet firm body pressed snuggly against hers, his warm calloused hand brushing the skin of her shoulder as he stared into her eyes caused more of a reaction out of her than all the times with Tyler combined.

It was strange and confusing to say the least.

"Would you like me to have Klaus drive you home Caroline?"

Dahlia's voice drifted up softly from behind her, breaking her out of her reverie.

"No that's fine." She turned around to face her, feeling a little more composed as she joked, "I need to burn off all those extra calories from breakfast and those drinks last night.

"Yes," Dahlia began with a pinched look on her face as she handed Caroline a bag with her clean clothing inside, "about the drinking last night…"

"I swear it's not a normal thing. And I'm so sorry if I put you out any last night."

"Caroline, you know me better than that." Dahlia looked at her meaningfully, "I know you are a responsible young woman, which is truly why I am concerned. Did someone force you to drink last night? What I mean to ask is," She cleared her throat uncomfortably, "did you know what you were doing?"

Caroline's face softened at the concern the woman was showing for her. It had been so long since a motherly type person had cared enough to ask questions instead of just assuming the worse of her, "I wasn't aware I had so many until I had finished, but no. No one forced me and I made my own drinks."

"Good. That's good. So, then what happened?" She rushed to reassure the girl, "I don't mean to pry Caroline, you know I am not one for gossip like the other ninnies in this town. It is just so unlike you and I want to be sure you are alright. That you know you can talk to me about anything and it will go no further than this." She pointed between the two, both unaware that Klaus was hanging back at the foot of the stairs, having just finished his phone call, hidden by the wall listening in.

"It was just, ugh, I don't know how to explain it." Caroline felt the floodgates open, not truly realizing just how much she needed someone to talk to about it all until that very moment. "I've always been fine with putting on a face and just putting my best foot forward to fit in and join the crowd. It came so easy to me that I even fooled myself into believing it was who I really was. But lately," She frowned, "Lately I don't know, it just seems harder somehow, forced. Like I'm standing in a group of my friends, they're all laughing and having a wonderful time but I feel like I'm on the outside somehow. Then last night, I was with Tyler and I just couldn't take the way they were talking about me and…" She bit her lip in indecision.

"Klaus?" Dahlia asked lowly, receiving a nod, "I take it Tyler wasn't too happy about the time you've been spending with my nephew and his friends decided to make crude remarks as boys are wont to do."

"No. I mean yes, but it wasn't that. It wasn't that they were talking about him and me that way, it was that they were talking about him _at all_."

"What do you mean, dear?" She asked genuinely confused at just why Caroline was so upset about that fact.

"They don't even know him." Caroline nearly shouted, throwing her arms out to her sides before shaking her head, "And even if they did, I don't think they understand him. Heck, they don't deserve to. Klaus is _nothing_ like what they say about him and he is nothing like _them_ either." The firm conviction in her voice made Dahlia feel even stronger about getting the two together, "He deserves better and I guess I got angry that I couldn't or didn't defend him. Then of course Tyler took it all wrong, we got into this huge fight and then I am pretty sure we broken up." She finished with a huff and a roll of her eyes.

"You're pretty sure?" Dahlia laughed, shaking her head, "Honey you either are or you aren't. There's no middle ground there."

"We did. I mean, I did." Caroline nodded her head firmly.

"Good for you darling! I never much cared for that boy anyways. He was far too handsy with you in public for my taste," She scrunched her nose up in disgust, "and could never see the true gem he held while doing so."

Caroline chuckled, feeling completely at ease with her, "Yeah well, I guess that was part of the problem. He wanted to get more _handsy_ and didn't like it very much when I said no."

A fire lit in the older woman's eyes, "He didn't try and force you, did he?"

"No, not really. Not physically anyways," She grumbled rubbing her hand over her arm, Tyler's words form last night, saying she wasn't normal, floated through her mind, "just… emotionally I guess?"

"One is not different than the other Caroline." Dahlia told her sagely, stopping Caroline's frantic rubbing and gently took hold of her hands. "Manipulating a person emotionally or mentally into having sex is just as horrendous as doing so physically. It was good of you to break things off with him. Brave even to break away from that sort of control that can only lead to violence and self-doubt. Maybe one day he will understand how wrong he was and never do that to another person again."

Caroline scoffed, "He sure didn't waste any time in making out with the town slu…ah, Vicky." She grimaced, realizing she wasn't speaking with one of her friends from school but to an adult.

"Yes, that girl does tend to ah, get around." Dahlia's eyes twinkled with mischief as she released Caroline's hands, "Though I'm sure the newer generation has a different term for it now a days."

Caroline reddened at the terms that ran through her head, no matter how down to earth and easy to talk to Dahlia was though, she couldn't bring herself to say them. "That one works just fine actually." They laughed lightly for a moment before a cloud descended within Caroline's vivid blue eyes.

Concerned, not only for her own reasons, but for Caroline herself, Dahlia approached her gently, "You seem bothered Caroline. Do you perhaps regret your choice in breaking up with the lad?"

At the foot of the stairs Klaus gulped, squeezing his eyes shut tightly, dreading her answer. The dread didn't last for long, and judging by Caroline's reaction, he had no cause for concern. At least with her wanting to get back together with the lowlife. Now as far as how the wretch had treated Caroline; why if he were a braver man, Tyler would be lucky to stand again after he finished with him, if ever. His inner voice growling in agreeance.

"What? God no! Honestly the only thing I regret about Tyler is not breaking up with him sooner. And letting him play me into thinking he was actually a decent guy."

"Then what has you looking so distraught?"

"Ugh." Caroline moaned as she began pacing, "It's just that everybody saw him making out with Vicky, which is totally embarrassing, and I'm not looking forward to all the backlash that I just _know_ is coming from…people." She winced thinking about what her Mother would say when she found out. Surely being someone who was cheated on, who was in a loveless relationship for so long she would understand. Right? Her most recent argument with her Mother flashed in her mind, for some reason she didn't think so.

"I'm sure it will all work itself out Caroline." Dahlia bit back a chuckle at how rapidly teenagers' emotions changed.

Klaus carefully crept back up a few steps before turning back around, making his steps heavier with his approach.

"Are you ready, Sweetheart?" He smiled deeply, his dimples cutting into his cheeks as Caroline shivered lightly, his ego bursting with discovering it still held its effects.

"Yeah. You don't have to walk me you know." The double looks aimed her way from the two had her holding her hands up in surrender, "Okay. Okay." She picked up the bag holding her freshly washed and dried clothing, "Thanks again Dahlia. For everything." Caroline said giving her a meaningful look, bringing a smile to the woman's face as she watched them leave.

Caroline smiled at Klaus as he held the door open for her. Waiting until they were off the porch and onto the sidewalk to ask, "So how was your sister? Any word on how your brother is doing?"

"They're all doing quite well actually."

"You didn't talk for very long," Seeing his face begin to close off she tried to backtrack over whatever boundary she had unknowingly crossed, "Sorry, I don't mean to pry."

"No, it's alright." Klaus sighed, "My family is a bit…complicated to say the least." He chuckled, "Add to that, that all of them were trying to speak at once before our time ran out, it made it hard to understand much of anything."

"All of them?" Caroline questioned hesitantly, nibbling on her lower lip.

Klaus froze for a moment. He had been overly careful when it came to speaking with anyone about his family or life back home, but for some reason it seemed just so easy to talk to Caroline. It was so effortless to open himself up to her in a way he never had before with anyone. "Three of the five of my siblings." He finally answered her softly.

Caroline stopped on the sidewalk in shock, "Five? You have _five_? The fights for the bathroom had to be epic in your house."

Klaus laughed deeply as they began walking again, "That's putting it mildly. Wars were started in my home for less. With five boys and one girl things tended to get a bit bloody."

Caroline grin bashfully, glad that he hadn't been laughing at her like so many others did when she spoke without thinking. "I wish I would've had a sibling or two growing up. It might have made all the issues at home seem less…lonely I guess."

"Trust me when I say it's not all it's cracked up to be." He informed her wryly, "As much as I miss my siblings, I do enjoy the peace and quiet I am afforded here." At Caroline's dubious stare he shook his head with a dimpled grin, "If you'd like I will loan you one of mine, that way you can test the theory out for yourself."

"Oh? Which one?" Caroline grinned goofily as she played along.

Klaus pushed his glassed up before tapping his cheek in thought, he grimaced, "Definitely not Kol. He wouldn't look at you as a sister and would only make your life a living hell. He likes to _accidently_ burst into Rebekah's room when her friends are over for the evening."

"Okay, not Kol then. What about your sister?"

"Absolutely not. She is far too used to being the only girl of the family. No doubt she'd cut and dye your hair as you sleep, just to force you to surrender all the attention to her." Now that they were playing the game, Klaus really began talking openly and animatedly about his family, "Finn is the eldest of us all, he's a bit of a dullard and married with a passel of brats screaming around his ankles. Trust me when I say they have the looks of little angles but they have the lungs and temperament of the devil incarnate."

"Yeah," Caroline pulled a face, thinking of the little terrors she used to babysit for, "no thanks."

"Elijah is currently finishing his last year of university, but for much as I feel the two of you would get on famously, your similar natures to always be right would eventually do you both in."

"Hey!"

He laughed, dodging Caroline's hand as it swung to hit his arm. "Then there's Henrik, but we all adore him too much to give him up."

Laughingly Caroline opened her arms wide, "It sounds like you've run out of siblings."

"So, I have." He grinned back.

"And since I don't want you as a brother, I guess I'll just stick to myself." She grinned cheekily.

"You wouldn't want me as a brother?" He touched his chest, "Sweetheart, I'm offended." Realizing what he had just said he cursed himself. _Splendid job yet again you blithering blockhead! No doubt the girl thinks you see her as a sister and not in the way we both know you do!_

Caroline pressed her lips together to hold back her laughter at the panicked look on his face. _Seems I'm not the only one who talks without thinking._ "Well you shouldn't be. If we were related we wouldn't be like we are now."

His breath stuttered at the look she was giving him, playfulness with a hint of something else. Something he dared not hope for, "What are we?"

"We're friends." _For now, anyways._ Caroline wanted to say the rest out loud but didn't feel brave enough to do so. She had no idea if he even liked her that way! For god's sake, he just talked about being her brother!"

"Friends." He smiled bashfully, "I like that." And he did, only he held the ridiculous hope that maybe someday they could be more.

They walked along silently for a while, both caught up in their own thoughts about the other before Caroline broke the silence, "So I never thanked you, for last night."

"It was nothing really."

"No, it wasn't nothing. Don't downplay what you did for me last night Klaus." Her eyes pleading with him earnestly to understand, "If you hadn't been there I have no idea what I would have done. And how you took care of me after? Really, thank you." Caroline winced slightly, this was the part she had been dreading but knew she just needed to get it out there, much like ripping a band-aid off, "And I'm really sorry for slobbering all over you last night."

His heart pounded in his chest, she remembered kissing him! She remembered…wait she was apologizing? For _slobbering_ on him? "You didn't slobber all over me Caroline. It was only a quick, soft peck to the corner of my mouth. Nothing to be embarrassed about." He mentally applauded himself at the look of relief crossing over her face. He had said the right thing apparently. He only wished he had the bravery to tell her he enjoyed it, small and soft as it was, that he wouldn't mind doing it again.

"Yeah well still." She felt her heart drop as he downplayed the would-be kiss, "I'm sorry that my drunken-self took advantage of it all. It shouldn't have happened."

Klaus felt his heart fall to his feet. She regretted the kiss. The kiss that left his spirits soaring. The kiss that lulled him to sleep, dreaming of soft lips and silky smooth golden curls. _Friends_ she had said. He attempted to smile reassuringly to her, though by the look on her face it was more of a grimace than he wanted it to be.

Caroline sighed, looking away, not wanting him to see the pain in her eyes. He did say it was nothing to be embarrassed about which was a relief, but he didn't say he liked it either. _Friends. Brother._ Maybe that's all he would see her as, a friend that was as close as a sister. A replacement for the siblings he left back home to come here for whatever reason.

Both felt relief when they came into view of Caroline's home, both feeling the need to cower alone in their rooms to lick their wounds.

As they crossed the neighbor's yard and into Caroline's they notice her Mom standing in her full uniform with another woman on the porch, who Caroline recognized as one of the clerks who worked with her Mom. She opened her mouth to call out a greeting when she was stopped by her Mother's livid voice.

"You've got a lot of explaining to do young lady."

"Liz, calm down." The clerk…Paula…Caroline recalled said softly, "Remember you don't know exactly what happened."

Liz's eyes glared as they skated over Caroline's change of clothing, her freshly showered hair and face and then to the nervous looking boy, who looked as though he was ready to throw up, standing close to her, "Oh I can put the pieces together just find." Her eyes and sneering tone clearly spoke of what she thought her daughter had been up to the past evening.

"Mom," Caroline shouted, appalled at what she knew her Mother was assuming, "if you would just let me explain…"

"Oh, I think I have a pretty good picture." She said through tight lips as she cut her daughter off, "Carol called me this morning, told me that Tyler was out of it when he got up and then confessed that you broke up with him and he hadn't seen you since the bonfire."

Caroline scoffed, crossing her arms over her chest and rolled her eyes as she thought it was just like Tyler to use their break up as a way to cover up his hangover.

"So, let me guess," Liz continued as if she was interrogating a hardened criminal, "you decided to cheat on Tyler with this _boy_ here," She sneered, tossing her hand in his general direction without taking her eyes off her daughter, "and when you got caught, you broken up with Tyler and went back to his house for the night. Don't even try to lie about where you've been Caroline. I called Elena's and Bonnie's, neither of them had seen you since school. And someone called to tell me they seen you being carried into his house last night! I just can't believe you would do this! After seeing what I went through because of your father, I never thought you would actually do that to someone else." She shook her head in disgust.

Caroline's face went red with anger, burning tears stinging her eyes as she finally spoke, "Well it looks like you have it all figured out, so why should I bother trying to tell you the truth, you won't believe me anyways."

"Excuse me Sherriff Forbes." Klaus interrupted the staring match between Mother and daughter, taking a step closer to the porch where Liz still stood. He had no idea where this bout of courage came from. Maybe it was hearing the awful things her Mother assumed and accused her of, maybe it was the pain in Caroline's face, written clearly under her mask of indifference, maybe it was the way she all but sneered the term _boy_ , like he was some vile _thing_ much like his Father would do in his drunken rages. But whatever it was, he could not, would not, stand idly by and allow this to continue.

"Just who are you anyways?" Liz eyed the boy with contempt.

"My name is Klaus Mikaelson. I moved here not too long ago with my Aunt Dahlia," He replied respectfully, knowing full well that she already knew this information. "Caroline and I have been working on a history project together and she has been trying to help me gain my footing, as well as make some friends, seeing as I don't know anyone here. She and Tyler invited me along to the bonfire last night," He figured the small lie wouldn't hurt, "Though I declined at first, I did decide later to join them all in hopes it would help me to fit in here better. I arrived later than anyone else and discovered Caroline, quite upset and alone, in the parking lot. She explained that Elena had left early and Bonnie had never shown, so I offered to drive her home. But on the way, she had fallen asleep." All eyes were on him but he maintained eye contact with her Mother, seeing that his calm accented voice was soothing the rage within her eyes, "I was unable to wake her, and not wanting to risk driving aimless around in search of how to get here from the other side of town, I took her back to my Aunt's home."

He could see she was buying into his story, and he reconciled with himself that it wasn't all a lie, just a few minor embellishments here and there to project Caroline. He reckoned that leading the rest with the truth would do them more good in the end, even if she did get upset, "Our guest room is currently filled to the brim with my boxes I've yet to unpack and being raised as I was, it is not proper to allow a guest to sleep on the sofa. She did sleep in my bedroom Sherriff Forbes, but I can assure you, once she was put to bed under the watchful of my Aunt, I left the room and slept downstairs on the sofa. If you'd like to speak with my Aunt…"

"That's enough." Liz sighed as she ran her hand tiredly over her face, "Thank you for taking care of her. I will be checking with your Aunt to be sure, but I think it's time for you to go."

Klaus nodded his head, "Of course Sherriff Forbes. I wish you a pleasant rest of your day, and I apologize for any trouble I may have caused you." He turned his back to her as he looked at Caroline, who stood almost shell-shocked with eyes that glittered with emotions that he had never seen directed at him before. "I'll talk to you later?" He murmured quietly.

"Uh-huh." She managed to breath as she stared at him in utter speechless awe at what he had said and done. How this shy boy who took months to talk to her, yet with his crisp voice and smooth words had just fearlessly stood up to her Mother, the town Sherriff, for her.

Paula left the porch and stopped beside Klaus, "I'm headed in the direction of your Aunt's, if you'd like a ride Klaus?"

Klaus could easily tell that while the offer was made pleasantly and honestly, it was also so she could speak to his Aunt on Caroline's Mother's behalf before he had a chance to possibly talk her into collaborating with his story. "Yes, thank you."

As they drove back to his home, he was grinning inside, knowing that his Aunt would likely say something similar to what he had. It was close to the truth after all, and she would never breath a word about Caroline having been drunk. As they left Caroline's street the adrenalin wore off and the full impact of what he had just done hit him.

Klaus felt his chest tighten as his breath hissed out in panicked puffs. A small part of his brain tried to remind him that things had calmed only after he had told the story, but the rest of him was caught up in the enormous fact that he had just stood up to the local Sherriff. So much so that he had admitted that Caroline had slept in his bed. To _Caroline's Mother_ of all people.

"Hey, calm down and just breath." Paula's quiet voice penetrated through the oppressing fog in his head, forcing him to turn and look at her with his panicked eyes behind his thick black framed glasses.

Paula did her best not to laugh at how utterly cute and sweet this boy was. You'd have to be blind not to see that he cared for Caroline and that he didn't have a mean bone in his body. She smiled gently at him, thinking that no matter what happened in the future, this boy had her official stamp of approval. He had undoubtedly won her respect. "You did good. Really. Liz really isn't as bad as she seems, I've known her and worked with her for years, she just has a lot on her plate right now is all. And if everything you said was the truth, which I've been in the Force for a while now and while I can see a few blank spots here and there, something tells me you were as honest as you could be without outing Caroline for whatever trouble she found herself in. So just _breath_ alright?"

His breath left him in a whoosh. He couldn't help but feel this woman would be a future ally, why and how he wasn't quite sure of, but he was glad nonetheless. As they pulled into his driveway though, all Klaus could think of was how he was ready for this morning to be over. He had a lot to think about, too many events had been packed into one day. All he wanted now was to be in his room with a sketchbook in hand as he tried to capture the last look he had seen in Caroline's beautiful eyes. Maybe if he could capture on paper, thereby immortalizing it, he would be able to study it at length and decipher some clues as to what it meant.

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* * *

I am so so SO sorry for the very long wait. It bothers me as much as it does you all I swear it. Summer was busy and hectic, but the kiddos are back in school and I am starting a writing schedule. For now, I am going with the goal of three updates a month. I know that sounds like it isn't a lot but my idea behind keeping the goal small is so that anything above that is like an extra bonus! And then I can really narrow down my timelines and then up the goal in the future. I do have another drabble to add to Songs of the Moment, but it is part of the Klaroline Vacay Gift Exchange so I am not able to post it until later next week, after it has been revealed to my giftee. Look for that around the 8th of September.

I also have a few mini-drabbles I will be pulling together and posting as one chapter in Songs of the Moment soon as well. They are all less than 600 words each, crazy for me right?! I know! Lol. I will also try and find a way to post the link to tumblr for the graphics I created to go along with them as well.

I know it has been forever since I have touched the Above Series and I promise I have not forgotten about it. That is actually the very next thing on my writing to-do list! Look for that within the next two week. The chapters for that story are quite long as you who read it know, and being super long monster chapters, that also means a ton more time is involved in creating them. Where I can pump out a chapter for The Girl (when life doesn't get in the way or busy) in two days, Above It All takes closer to a week.

Now…I would like to thank each and every one of you for the great honor!

Above All Else was **nominated and WON** in this year's **Klaroline Awards for Best Completed Story of the Year**! I am SOOOO ecstatic! I couldn't have done it without you, so thank you ever so much!

 **Next up for The Girl** : Klaus and Caroline continue dealing with mixed signals as they work together on their project. Also, gossip beings to heat up at school causing a few reactions that no one seen coming!


	6. Chapter 6

It's been a long time. I know and I'm truly sorry. I have many more updates in the works for this story as well as my others, so stay tuned!

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Her heart was pounding, her tennis shoes squeaking against the dull wax of the floor as Caroline threw her hoodie around her shoulders while she ran down the hallway from the school gymnasium to the front office. She had just managed to get her arms through the sleeves, yanking the zipper halfway up, when she saw two cars pull away from the front of the school.

One the sleek elegant body of Mrs. Lockwood's car, Caroline was just able to make out the side of Tyler's head in the passenger seat. The other the unmistakable car of Klaus's Aunt, driving away with him in the seat as well.

She had been in the middle of a small basketball scrimmage when she overheard a few whispers and giggles from a group seated on the bleachers. Their eyes glancing towards her before snickering and looking away again. That had been nothing new, in fact, that had been the way the past few days since the bonfire had gone. She had been ready to just continue to turn the other cheek and let it roll off her, until she saw Tara come back in.

The girl had tossing the hall-pass on the hook next to the sign-out sheet, nearly tripping over her own feet as she half ran, half stumbled to her group of friends. Caroline had watched from across the court as Tara's arms waved around all wild and crazily, her head constantly turning to glance back at her repeatedly.

Caroline had carefully inched her way closer, picking up on Tara's whispers to the group of girls about how she had saw both Klaus and Tyler being hauled to the Principals office by their Study Hall teacher. She had rushed on to report how Tyler was clearly bleeding from his face, though she wasn't sure where since he had his hands cupped over his mouth and nose, and while she wasn't able to get a good look at Klaus's face, he was holding his glasses in his fist.

Hearing all this had sent Caroline on her mission to find out exactly what had happened. She worried over what had started this impromptu fight, though she had a pretty good idea that it had something to do with her. But it just didn't add up. It seemed so out of character for Klaus, Tyler was a fighter sure, but Klaus?

"Miss Forbes." The stern voice of the Principal echoed harshly in the empty hall at the front of the school as the cars disappeared from view, "Shouldn't you be in Gym class right now?"

Caroline turned with a sugary-sweet smile, holding up her hall-pass, "Just visiting the little girls' room Mr. Roberts."

"I believe there is a restroom closer to the gym." He replied, his narrowed eyes enough to push her to apologize as she scurried back towards the Gym hallway.

It looked like she wouldn't be getting her answers any time soon. She huffed, knowing she would have to deal with the ever-present rumor mill until school ended and she could talk to Klaus.

XXX

Liz pulled her sheriff's car to a stop in front of Dahlia's home. The school principal had called her an hour ago to inform her of the fight between the two boys. She had rubbed her forehead and groaned quietly as she took the call. She understood this was his first year at Mystic High, but it wasn't as if this was his first time acting as Head of a school. She had calmly explained that it wasn't typical protocol to inform local law enforcement of skirmishes that happened on school property unless severe injuries or weapons were involved. He had promptly explained that he wasn't calling to speak with her as the Sherriff, but as a parent. That with the rumor mill starting up in full swing and the fact that, even though she had not been present during the fight, Caroline's name was right smack in the center of it all. The boys had both stayed silent in the office, neither offering any information about what had started the fight as they glared at each other, they had both received a suspension for the remainder of the week.

It hadn't been twenty minutes later that Liz received a phone call from an irate and livid Carol. Carol had wanted to press charges, wanted to rally the troops and nail Klaus to the wall while pressing the Principle to let Tyler back into school.

" _Tyler never behaved like this before! You know him Liz, you've watched him grow up. It's this…this…out of town menace that is obviously to blame."_

After calmly talking her friend down, explaining that unless the boys were willing to cooperate and explain what had transpired, there wasn't much she could the school doling out their punishment and with the nature of the event, there was very little law enforcement could or would do.

Carol had again reiterated that Tyler had never behaved this was before, casting full blame on Klaus before hanging up.

Liz herself wasn't so sure. Ever since moving to the area, Klaus had done very little to draw attention to himself. As the Sheriff, she had kept an eye on him, as a newcomer to their town one could never be too careful. But after a few weeks, she was convinced that he wasn't the troublemaker some of the townsfolk assumed him to be. Heck, he wouldn't have even been on her radar if it wasn't for his project with Caroline.

But Tyler, while Carol liked to turn a blind eye to any wrong doings associated with her son, Liz wasn't of the same mindset. She had broken up too many parties and too many childish pranks that seemed to revolve around Tyler and his group of friends.

Which brought to mind the things Klaus had said to her after he walked Caroline home Saturday morning. _Found her upset in the parking lot_ , _alone_ , he had said. She was willing to bet that whatever had transpired at the bonfire Friday night was the cause of the issues between the two boys.

Removing her holster, Liz stowed and locked her guns in the trunk of her cruiser, unbuttoning the top two buttons of her uniform as her boots clomped up the walkway to Dahlia's front porch. Giving a quick rap of her knuckles on the front door, she waited only a few seconds before it opened.

"Liz! What a pleasant surprise." Dahlia smiled, her eyes taking in the woman's more relaxed state of her uniform, "At least I hope so. Are you here on official business or is this just a friendly house-call?"

"I'm off-duty. I was hoping I could talk to your nephew, off record of course." She assured her, "If that would be alright?"

"Of course! Please come in." Dahlia waved her arm in invitation, her multiple bracelets jingling together.

Liz smiled in thanks as Dahlia closed the door behind them and began walking towards the living room only to pause. A nervous and slightly trembling Klaus stood in the doorway, his glasses sitting a tad crooked on his face as a small bead of sweat dripped from his temple.

"Good…Good afternoon Mrs. Ah..." His voice shook in greeting before blurting, "Sherriff Forbes."

Liz hummed loudly, stalking towards the clearly frightened boy, gently taking his chin in her hand to turn his head back and forth, inspecting his face, "Doesn't look too bad. Heck Klaus, it doesn't even look like you'll get a black eye." Dropping her hand, she took a step back, "Though from what Carol told me, Tyler has a broken nose and two shiners to go with it."

"I…um…I…" Klaus nervously licked his lips, shifting his weight between his feet.

"Calm down Klaus." Liz lifted her hands, "I'm not here to arrested you or anything. I'd just like to talk to you. Find out why my daughter's name is somehow linked to this fight you boys had today." When she saw that Klaus was still anxiously sweating she placed a soothing hand to his shoulder, calmly explaining, "I'm not here as an officer, only as a concerned Mother. After what you told me Saturday morning and now this happening today, I just want to know what is going on. For Caroline. You can understand that, can't you?"

"Yes ma'am." Klaus replied dutifully.

"Good. Why don't we go sit down and have a little chat?" Liz asked with an easy smile, hoping to calm the poor shaking boy down.

"Wonderful!" Dahlia clapped her hands, sending her bracelets on a merry tune, "I'll go fix us up some glasses of lemonade. I just made it fresh this morning!"

Just shy of an hour later Dahlia left Klaus, who was hanging his head in shame, in the living room to walk Liz to the door. She could only hope that Caroline wouldn't be too angry with her nephew. The poor boy had tried to hold his own but under the weighted stare of, not only the town Sherriff, but the Mother of the girl he had a fancy for, he had cracked like an egg on concrete.

"You don't have to worry about Klaus facing any charges. This was a school related incident and even if Carol tries to do anything," Liz began to explain in hushed tones, before Dahlia cheerily cut her off with a wink.

"I can simply press charges against her boy as well. I know how the game works."

"Actually, I was going to say that I wouldn't let anything come of it. From what I can piece together, it sounds like Tyler shoved him first. So, anything after that would be considered self-defense." Liz grinned slyly, "Even if Tyler is a little more banged up." When Klaus finally spilled some of the story of how the fight had started, Liz had wanted to lift the boy onto her shoulders and give him a metal. Any one who would stand up for her daughter's name being dragged through the mud ranked high in her book.

"Yes, my nephew was quite the hero today. Strangely out of character for him too, considering everything he has gone through. It's a shame the school felt the need to suspend him but I'm proud of him nonetheless. Nothing more courageous than standing up for a girl who is not there to defend herself." Dahlia laughed, "I certainly don't miss being that age and all the drama that comes along with it!"

"Yeah well, I'm not so sure Caroline will see it that way. Not after she finds out everything he told me today." Liz grimaced as she thought of Caroline's temper, she could only hope that Caroline wouldn't see this as a betrayal from Klaus.

Dahlia hummed under her breath, "You might be surprised. Caroline is a remarkable young woman. So, caring and understanding. You've done a fine job raising her Liz. You should be proud of the young woman she is turning out to be."

"I don't know how much of that is me." Liz admitted grimly, "All we seem to do is fight anymore. And I'm away from home more than I'm there. She's basically raising herself."

"Maybe. Maybe not." Dahlia added cryptically, "But secrets kept between family members often lead to nothing but strife. I'm just speaking of my own experience here but still, I think you'd find that if you confide in your daughter the truth, she may just be more receptive and understanding than you assume. That it might just end this distance you have widening between you."

"What are you taking about?"

Dahlia leaned back, glancing over her shoulder to be sure that Klaus was not listening in. Coming closer to the other woman she whispered, "I've seen where you come and go from rather frequently. More so over the past few months."

"I don't know what you're talking about." Liz fired back defensively.

"No need to get defensive. Just remember where my shop just happens to be located. _Very_ close to a _certain place_ you tend to visit, if you catch my drift." Seeing something akin to panic in the other woman's eyes, Dahlia rushed to assure her, "No need to panic. While most people love to put me in the center of their gossip, they also don't pay me much attention when it comes to dishing it out when I'm around. So, it gives me the opportunity to overhear many tales and rumors. I've heard nothing said about you in their henpecking circles. And besides, it's not my place to say anything about things that are none of my concern. Things that have to do with your life and not mine. I don't mean to overstep but," Dahlia placed a soft hand to her shoulder, keeping her voice low, "I really do think Caroline could handle it. She's stronger than most people would give her credit for. You should tell her and have her by your side. Think of how much happier the two of you would be, how much lighter you'd both feel with no secrets holding you back."

Liz's face dropped in contemplation, she instantly wanted to deny having any idea what Dahlia was talking about. She knew the woman didn't mean any harm, if anything she was trying to help. Liz had known that this was all bound to come out sometime, she just didn't know if she was ready to drop this sort of bomb on her daughter.

"Well anyways, it's none of my business who you tell or when. Just remember, it's all going to come to a head at some point and I think having such a wonderful daughter on your side might help ease some of the worry that you are feeling." Dahlia gave her a sympathetic smile, opening the front door when she heard her nephew begin to move about in the other room.

"Thanks. I appreciate your silence, and your advice. I guess I have a lot to think about."

XXX

Caroline quietly closed the door behind her, setting her backpack to the floor in front of the hall closet. She had planned to go directly over to see Klaus after school but after receiving her Mother's ominous text she came straight home.

 _[Mom 2:47 PM] See you at home after school. We need to talk._

Her curiosity about what had happened today and how Klaus was doing was nearly killing her. The entire drive home Elena wouldn't shut up about the rumors flying around school and had pestered her until she had all but jumped from the car as Elena pulled up in front of her house. Seriously, she _really_ couldn't wait until her own car came back from the shop.

Peering around the corner, she heard her Mother's hushed whispers coming from the kitchen. _Good._ She thought, that meant she didn't know she was home yet and gave her a little more time.

Quickly pulling her phone from her purse she sent a hurried text to Klaus, hoping he would respond before her Mom came out of the kitchen and found her.

 _[Caroline 3:06 PM] Hey! What the heck HAPPENED today?! Are you okay?_

 _[Klaus 3:06 PM] I'm fine. Hardly a scratch._

Caroline rolled her eyes with a huff at how he avoided answering her first question, quickly tapping out another message.

 _[Caroline 3:07 PM] So what happened? Why did you and Tyler get in a fight? I was going to come see you after school but my Mom wants to talk to me first._

The little dots, dancing in the message screen, showing he was typing were the longest two minutes of her life. Especially after the cryptic text that came through.

 _[Klaus 3:09 PM] I'm sure your Mother will explain things. Perhaps you should talk to her first. She seemed slightly distraught when she left here._

One minute passed. Caroline blinked. Shook her head and read the message again before her eyes widened, foregoing texting to call him. Her breath rushing out in an angry hiss when he answered.

"You talked to my Mom?!"

"I…um…well…she just…and then I…"

"I can't believe this. What did she say? What did you tell her?"

His shuttering breath was her only response.

" _Klaus_? What. Did. You. Tell her." She demanded through her teeth.

She could hear his gulp through the phone.

"Sh..she asked about what ha…happened this weekend and what caused the fight." Caroline's harsh gasp must have given him the push to rush out, "She seemed to know more than what we had already told her. She must have heard some of the rumors from the Principal. And I…I…" His panicked voice deflated, "I'm sorry Caroline."

Caroline let out a muffled screech. Wincing as the whispering of her Mother in the kitchen stopped, soft footsteps echoing in the house as she called out to her.

"Caroline? Is that you?"

"You are so dead Mikaelson." Caroline hissed into her cell before ending the call, quickly dropping it in her purse. Spinning on her heels with her pageant-ready smile. "Hey Mom! How was your day?"

"Good." Liz pulled at her plain yellow t-shirt, almost nervously.

It was a rare occasion that Caroline saw her Mother dressed in anything other than her Sherriff's uniform or her comfortable house sweats and sweatshirt she liked to wear on her days off. That her Mother had worked today, was home early and was dressed in a pair of light blue jeans and a t-shirt, made Caroline begin to worry this little _talk_ her Mom wanted to have was about something more than just her name wrapped around two boys fighting in school.

"Mom, what's going on?" Caroline asked, blindly setting her purse on the entry table.

Liz ran a hand through her short blonde hair, inhaling deeply, "Why don't we go sit down in the living room and talk."

"O-kay," Caroline drug the syllables out as she followed her into the living room, sitting on the far side of the sofa as her Mom took the chair. "If this is about today, I swear I had no idea anything like this would happen. I really don't even know _what_ happened between Tyler and Klaus and…"

"No, it's not. Well, yes, it is but that's not all." Liz looking flustered and at a loss for words was a shock to Caroline. Her Mother was always so well put together, always knew what she wanted to say and when. Even when they were at each other's throats. "First let me just say that I know there is a code between friends, but don't be too hard on Klaus, okay?"

"I wasn't planning on it." Caroline replied a little too quickly before groaning at the look her Mother gave her, "Okay fine. I'll _try_ not to be too hard on him. But I won't make any promises yet."

"Fair enough." Liz sighed, using today's events as a distraction from the _other_ topic she needed to finally explain to her daughter, "While I am sure Klaus didn't tell me everything, he did confirm some of the things that I heard today. Like that your break-up with Tyler had something to do with Vicky Donovan?"

Caroline flinched, partly in embarrassment but also in worry that her Mother would be upset with her, "Vicky didn't happen until _after_ we broke up. More like a few minutes after we broke-up, but whatever. It's just, please don't be mad. I just couldn't take it anymore! I know Tyler puts off this super sweet guy routine, and sometimes he can even _be_ that kind of guy. But lately he's been trying to get me to do things I'm just not ready for. The kind of things no one should do just because they feel they _have_ to do. I'm mean, it's not like he's tried to force himself on me or anything but making me feel like I have to have sex with him, just so he can keep up with some stupid macho street cred is just beyond ridiculous!" Realizing her mouth had ran away with her yet again, Caroline slapped a hand over it, cringing as she glanced to her Mother.

"You mean you two haven't…Ever?" Liz blushed as deeply as her daughter as Caroline answered with a slow shake of her head. That was when the anger set in over Tyler's actions towards her daughter. Then pride at how Caroline had handled it and the feeling that she wanted to go hug Klaus for the way he had stood up for her daughter. "I'm proud of you, Caroline."

"What? I mean, you're not mad?"

"Of course, I'm not mad Honey. Not at you anyways. You stood your ground. You didn't give in to something you knew you weren't ready for. I know how hard that can be. To think and feel that you have to do things just to make everyone else happy. Now Tyler on the other hand, I wish he was still young enough that I could take him over my knee. Or maybe ask Klaus to go after him again so I can cheer him on."

"Wow." Caroline breathed, sinking back against the sofa, "I just…I thought you'd be upset with me still for breaking up with him. I know how important your friendship with his Mom is."

"Caroline," Liz leaned forward, "you are more important to me than anything else. I know I've had a really bad way of showing it lately and for that, I'm sorry."

Caroline felt her throat tighten, it had been so long since she had heard her Mom say she was proud of her for anything and then to have her apologize? She didn't know what to say or even think, "I know I haven't made things very easy lately either. I'm sorry too Mom."

The Forbes women sat in an emotional silence, neither one knowing what to say until Caroline broke it.

"So, um, what was the other thing you wanted to talk to me about?" Fear and dread began to sink in as she watched her Mother stutter and flounder with what to say again, "Mom? What's going on?"

Both women turned at the sound of another voice entering the room, "Liz, we talked about this. It's time to tell her."

Caroline pressed her lips in confusion as Paula, her Mom's friend from the Force, came in the room and sat at the end of the sofa nearest her Mom, as if to give her the support to say whatever it was. "Mom, you're really starting to freak me out. What's wrong?"

"I don't even know where to start." Liz sighed, nervously running her fingers through her hair, she glanced to Paula's small encouraging and supportive smile and then to her daughter who was growing paler by the second, knowing she had to start somewhere, "I know I've put a lot on you. That I've been pushing you so hard to be the picture-perfect daughter. It wasn't fair to you. I _know_ that, and I'm sorry Caroline. So sorry that I put my own needs to make our broken family look as if we were a typical normal family and everything was fine. That I put all my own problems on you."

"Mom…are you…sick?" Caroline croaked out, nearly in tears. "Are you dying or something? I mean, we can fix it right?"

"No Honey, I'm not sick. God, I'm going about this all wrong!" Liz blew out a breath, running her hand over her face before launching into a rambling explanation, much like her daughter was capable of, "You have to understand that times were _different_ back then. There were just certain things that weren't done. Weren't talked about. But it was college and I thought it was just a phase and then I met your Father and we both just figured it would be easier for us and everyone else if we just put it all behind us and got married. Not to say we didn't care for each other, because we did. We _really_ did. But we weren't happy. Well, he wasn't, I just got good at pretending. He tried to tell me times were different now. That our parents were dead and gone and that it would all be okay. That _you_ would be okay. But I wasn't ready and I'm still not in a lot of ways but I'm tired of lying to you. I'm tired of taking out my frustrations on you when it isn't you fault. I love you too much for that. You know that don't, Honey? That I love you and nothing that's been going on it your fault."

Caroline closed her eyes tightly, her mind whirling as she opened them with a shaky exhale, "Are you," She inhaled and tried again, glancing rapidly between her Mom and Paula, "Are you trying to tell me that you're gay?"

"I believe the terms nowadays are different, a little too complicated for me to understand but," Liz sighed, "Yes, Caroline. That's what I'm saying."

"But you and Daddy, I mean you two…um…Well _I'm_ _alive_." Caroline blushed, trying to take it all in. This was definitely _not_ what she had been expecting.

"Yeah," Liz cleared her throat, "Like I said, your Father and I did care for each other. Even loved each other at one point but, after a while, it just wasn't enough. It wasn't what we really wanted or who we really were. Then he had the courage to tell the world who he really is, but I didn't. And I know this is wrong, so very wrong, but a part of me began to resent him." Liz swallowed harshly, whispering, "And you." Her tear-filled eyes begged her daughter to understand, "I didn't want to embarrass you. You already had a Father who came out, and I saw what you had to deal with and how you struggled with that, and I didn't want you to have to deal with _both_ your parents being gay. I didn't want you to be ashamed of me."

"Mom." Caroline choked, vaulting from the sofa and into her Mother's arms holding her tightly, "I could never be ashamed of you! Of who you are. Just like I'm not ashamed of Daddy for who he is. I was just upset that he cheated on you. That he _left_ us and started a whole new family. It was never about him being gay."

"Really?" Liz brushed her daughter's hair off her face, grinning timidly.

"Really Mom. I mean sure, I didn't like the things people were saying but who cares! It's not about them Mom. It's about _you_ being happy." Caroline pulled back and took a peek at Paula, watching how she smiled at the two of them warmly as if she was invested in how this all went. Letting go of her Mom, she stood and pointed between the two of them with a teasing lilt, "So, are the two of you dating then?"

"Yes." Liz admitted, feeling happy with how easy it was and how wonderful it felt to have her daughter know and not be upset. Dahlia, who had seen her coming and going from Paula's house, had been right. Everything felt lighter.

Paula stood, nervously rubbing her hands against her jean covered thighs, "If that's okay with you Caroline. I know this is a lot to take in and I don't want to cause any issues between you and your Mom. It's okay if you need more time."

"Are you kidding!" Caroline's blue eyes widened comically as she tossed her arm around Paula's shoulder, "This is like a childhood fantasy come to life! Mom's _never_ brought anyone home for a meet-the-daughter-date! I finally get to grill someone about their intentions with my Mom and promise to be extra nice if they buy me presents!"

"Caroline!" Liz scolded as she stood from the chair.

"What? I was like, nine, when I thought of it. I've been holding that back forever!" Caroline rolled her eyes with a smile before wincing at Paula, "You can cook right? Because let me tell you, my Mom here could burn water!"

Paula laughed, "Yes Caroline, I can cook."

"Great! You can help me make dinner and then we can chat while I bake some cookies." Caroline announced as she led Paula towards the kitchen.

"Are you stress baking or apology baking?" Liz joked as she followed them into the kitchen, knowing she'd be regulated to setting the table, Caroline hadn't been lying when she said she could burn water.

"Everyone else is so full of surprises today, maybe I'm just baking to bake." She lifted her head loftily as she began pulling out the ingredients. Her shoulders slumping at her Mother's raised eyebrow, "Okay. Yes, I'm apology baking. Are you happy now?"

"Who do you need to apologize to?"

Caroline bit her lower lip, "Well I might have sort of told Klaus I was going to kill him. I didn't really mean it! But anyways, I figured instead of calling him I'd just head over there after dinner, with cookies in hand, and hope he hasn't given himself a heart attack." Caroline chuckled, "He doesn't have any other friends and he is almost adorably shy. I swear! He might have actually taken me seriously."

With her back turned she missed the joint look between Liz and Paula. Both knew that that boy wanted to be anything but just friends with Caroline. If anything, the poor boy was probably sitting at home devastated at the thought that he had ruined things with her for good.

* * *

So, yup. I did that. I'd love to know what you really think. How did I handle Liz coming out to Caroline? It's been my plan from the start and I've been a little nervous about it. But now we all know why Liz was acting the way she was towards Caroline. Guilt and fear can make people do crazy things. I know you are all dying for some Klaroline moments, but fear not! The next chapter will pick up right where we left off.

 _Next Chapter: Klaus, nervous and devastated, frets over how things are with Caroline after her phone call until Caroline shows up at his house with apology cookies in hand. The two have a heart to heart and Klaus finally reveals what really happened and what started the fight._


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